Inter Miami CF has completed their first season in Major League Soccer (MLS) in South Florida, where Global Institute of Sport (GIS) is launching their first non-UK campus for students.
Players have moved from all around the world to join the young team led by a dynamic ownership group, including former England captain David Beckham, Jorge and Jose Mas as well as Marcelo Claure and Masayoshi Son. Here we take a look at some of the club’s inaugural season stars coached by Uruguayan manager Diego Alonso—who is the only manager to ever win the Concacaf Champions League with two different clubs (2017 with C.F. Pachuca and 2019 with C.F. Monterrey).
Among Inter Miami’s first world-class signings was Gonzalo Higuaín, one of the best strikers of his time who has played for Chelsea, Real Madrid, Napoli and Inter Milan. The Argentine broke records when moving to Juventus for £75 million in 2016, the third most expensive transfer of all time. Higuaín became the most valuable South American player ever, surpassing Neymar, and in MLS, he is reported to be the highest-paid player in the league for his debut year.
French International and 2018 World Cup Champion Blaise Matuidi has also made the move across the Atlantic. Teammates with Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham at Paris Saint-Germain, and Higuaín at Juventus, the 33-year-old will be expected to bring his experience and game-winning mentality to the MLS, after 4 consecutive league titles with PSG, followed by 2 with Juventus.
Beckham has said of the signing “I couldn’t be happier to welcome my friend Blaise to Inter Miami. To have a World Cup winner of Blaise’s quality in our team is such a proud moment – for us as owners and for our fans.”
Yet the co-owner of the club wants to help MLS continue on its path towards becoming a major superpower league in the world as it entered its 25th year anniversary since inception in 2020. The England star has said: “We all know how great Miami is as a place to live with your family, but we don’t want players just coming here at the end of their career. We want players who are hungry, who have played at the top level but still want to win.”
The club may have just found this in 26-year-old Mexican international midfielder Rodolfo Pizarro, a regular for the reigning Concacaf Gold Cup champions and the Club’s No. 10. The also two-time Concacaf Champions League winner signed with Inter Miami in the prime of his career and his creativity and flair already positively impacted the team, ranking second in both goals in assists.
Turning to Europe once more, Lewis Morgan was also scouted, a two-footed winger who’s played for the likes of Celtic and Sunderland. Since his move to Miami, he has averaged one goal or assist per match, transforming his game and building hopes for a bright future at the club as its inaugural season MVP.
He says: “The move to Miami has worked out brilliantly. I’m back enjoying my football and couldn’t be happier here in Florida. I’m just enjoying being out on the field every game. This is what it’s all about!”
While the club was thrilled to become only the 7th in MLS history to make the playoffs during an expansion season, Inter Miami’s ownership group have not held back on discussing big plans for the future of the organization. The club continues to work during the offseason to launch a successful second season in MLS, building upon its successes in South Florida and across the U.S.
