The effects of Inter Miami’s grueling 2025 schedule were visible for all to see on Wednesday as Javier Mascherano’s team suffered a 5-3 home loss to the Chicago Fire.
Miami went into the game knowing that they needed a victory to keep their slim hopes of another Supporters’ Shield title alive. The Herons suffered two early goals and looked vulnerable throughout, despite a clinical brace from Luis Suarez.
The final result means that the Fire qualify for the MLS Cup playoffs for the first time since 2017. For Inter Miami, it means that the all-important postseason is now their only hope for a trophy this season, the last with the all-star quartet of Suarez, Lionel Messi, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets in the team.
“I apologized to the players at halftime for not helping them with my gameplan,” Mascherano said after the game. “Things improved in the second half, we were able to tie it up, and felt the euphoria of being back in the game. But then came the 4-3 goal that was very fortuitous for them, with many rebounds and it just didn’t go our way...and the 5-3 closed the game.”
Two years on from Messi’s arrival in South Florida, the only trophy won by the star-studded team remains the 2023 Leagues Cup won in the Argentine’s first month with the team. Throughout that time the postseason has been the real aim but they are yet to make any impression.
In Messi’s first season the team’s poor form before his arrival meant that qualification was near-impossible. In 2024 the Herons were much-improved, with a league-record points tally across the regular season. However they failed to transfer that into the MLS Cup playoffs, falling to Atlanta United in the first round.
Now, the pressure is on for Messi and Miami to finally deliver in the postseason. This should be the team’s best chance at a championship, but can they live up to the hype?