Messi light, Inter Miami darkness

Lionel Messi has captivated fans with his genius moves at Barcelona, then a new challenge at Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), and now he is in a new chapter with Inter Miami in MLS. But the undeniable fact is that even with a superstar of Messi's caliber, success will not come without structure, cohesion and stability. And Inter Miami is going through the same nightmare that Messi faced at PSG.

Inter Miami - a star team but lacking identity

From the beginning of the 2025 season, Inter Miami is expected to become a strong candidate in MLS. They own a series of world- class stars such as Messi, Luis Suárez, Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets - who together created the legendary Barcelona dynasty. However, coach Javier Mascherano's team is facing serious problems in terms of squad structure and fighting spirit.

Heavy defeats like the 4-1 loss to Minnesota United left fans disappointed. Not only was it Messi’s heaviest defeat in MLS, but it also exposed the weakness of the defense and the lack of connection in the game. Even individual errors like defender Marcelo Weigandt heading the ball into his own net or Jordi Alba leaving his position to chase the ball away made the audience angry.

Inter Miami had a smooth start with 8 unbeaten matches, creating confidence in a team capable of competing for the title. But from there, the core problems gradually became clear. The midfield lacked flexibility, the coordination between the lines was not good, and the defense was easily exploited, making it impossible for the team to maintain stability.

Even with Messi in the squad, Inter Miami still faces the problem of balancing tactics and spirit, similar to the superstar's nightmare at PSG before.

Inter Miami’s instability is reminiscent of Messi’s time at PSG in the 2021-2023 season. There, Messi, Mbappe, and Neymar formed a superstar attacking trio, but the team lacked cohesion between the lines. In big matches, PSG were often defeated not because of a lack of outstanding individuals, but because of tactical imbalance and weak defense.

PSG was expected to win the Champions League with a star-studded squad, but ultimately failed at crucial moments. Part of the reason came from the inability of the midfield and defense to cover and protect the forward line while simultaneously deploying the ball effectively. Individual moments of brilliance could not make up for the collective shortcomings.

Similarly, Inter Miami, despite having a star-studded squad, still has difficulty maintaining an organized playing system. Coach Mascherano, despite his efforts to rotate the squad and bring in players like Yannick Bright – a typical holding midfielder – has not been able to completely solve the problem.

Root cause

Inter Miami’s biggest weakness right now is the disconnect between the lines. The defense is often put in a difficult position because of the limited coordination between the midfield, lacking support to prevent quick counter-attacks. Despite the additions like Maxi Falcón and Gonzalo Luján to increase the speed and physicality of the defense, the connection in the play has not improved significantly.

Busquets' aging at the age of 36 makes Inter Miami's midfield lack the necessary durability to compete and constantly pursue.

In addition, Busquets' aging at 36 years old makes the midfield lack the necessary endurance to compete and constantly pursue. This increases pressure on the defense and reduces Inter Miami's ability to control the match.

Not only that, the mental factor and concentration are also a big question mark. The "absent-minded" situations leading to individual mistakes in defense show a lack of seriousness and courage in many decisive moments. This once made Inter Miami lose the opportunity to go deep into major tournaments such as MLS Cup or Concacaf Champions League.

In the current context, Inter Miami is under immense pressure. Although ranked fifth in the Eastern Conference and only 6 points behind the leader, that is still not enough to calm the expectations of a team with Messi.

Transfer rumors suggest Inter Miami are eyeing quality signings like Kevin De Bruyne or Ange Di Maria - players who could strengthen the midfield, bolster the defense and provide much-needed balance. However, to achieve long-term success, they need more than just a few big-name stars.

Lessons for modern football

Messi’s story at Inter Miami and PSG highlights a truth in modern football: it is not always possible to build a team based on outstanding individuals alone. Success only comes with balance between the lines, the right tactics and a strong team spirit.

Even though Messi is the brightest star on the planet, no one can "carry" a team that lacks structure and stability for a long time.

Even though Messi is the brightest star on the planet, no one can “carry” a team without structure and stability for a long time. That is why successful big teams always have a solid foundation from the defense, through the midfield to the attack.

Inter Miami are at a crucial crossroads. If they don’t improve their squad structure and morale soon, they will repeat the mistakes of PSG – a star-studded team that failed in the top competitions.

Messi and Inter Miami are having a tough time, mirroring the lessons learned at PSG. Despite having top stars, the lack of structure and stability in the squad is the biggest obstacle preventing them from showing their true potential.

The upcoming Club World Cup will be an opportunity for Inter Miami to prove their mettle and progress, but the pressure is not small. With a history of failure in major tournaments, they need to learn and change quickly if they do not want Messi to once again witness a trophyless season in his new shirt.

Only when Inter Miami becomes a truly cohesive group, knowing how to support each other and knowing how to fight for the collective, will the team be able to make the most of Messi's talent - the greatest star of the generation - to conquer major titles, instead of just individual moments of brilliance in a team lacking identity.

Source: https://znews.vn/anh-sang-messi-bong-toi-inter-miami-post1553413.html