Busquets was right about Messi.

If the truth sometimes needs to be spoken in a painful way, then Sergio Busquets has accomplished that task on behalf of the rest of Inter Miami.

“We are not good enough to compete at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™,” the former Barcelona midfielder frankly admitted before the first match against Al Ahly. A simple, unembellished statement, but one that accurately reflects the current state of a team living in the illusion that possessing a few legendary names is enough to compete with the rest of the world .

The truth about Inter Miami

The 0-0 draw against Al Ahly – a team from Africa – not only slowed Inter Miami's progress in the group stage, but also exposed a host of inherent problems: a disjointed tactical system, a fragile midfield, and above all, an alarming dependence on Lionel Messi.

The question is: is this really the team that wants to represent American soccer at a tournament that FIFA considers the "pinnacle of club football"?

Because, stepping onto the world stage with Messi, Busquets, Suarez, Alba, and Mascherano – all living legends in the Barcelona shirt – Inter Miami seemed to think that past glory could help them win. But the past is just baggage, not a ticket to the next round. And in a competition like the Club World Cup, where every mistake is punished, that dreamy football was immediately brought back down to earth.

Messi, at 38, was still the brightest star on the field. His exquisite outside-of-the-foot flicks, classy ball control, and magical left foot helped Miami avoid defeat against Al Ahly.

The former Barcelona star nearly scored with a free kick that hit the side netting, and then forced Elshenawy to push the ball onto the crossbar in the final minute. But the problem is, Messi can't do it all alone.

While Leo has maintained his top-class form, his closest teammates are clearly struggling. Luis Suarez lacks speed and is grappling with a new role now that he's no longer a "killer" in the penalty box.

Busquets is slow and easily exploited whenever the opponent counter-attacks. Alba is absent due to injury. This star-studded squad no longer has the fitness to compete at the highest level – something they themselves, with their illustrious reputations, surely understand.

Mascherano, as head coach, struggled to find a way to unite a team lacking depth. His admission after the game that "we need to improve our transitions" only further demonstrated Miami's unpreparedness for the speed and pressure that this league demands. When they lost possession, the midfield with Busquets and Redondo was immediately torn apart, creating vast space for opponents to exploit.

Coach Mascherano has yet to help Inter Miami play better.

What's even more worrying is that Mascherano seems to have adopted a one-sided style of play: feeding the ball to Messi and hoping he'll solve everything. Without clear patterns or a structured build-up play, Inter Miami relies almost entirely on the individual creativity of the Argentine superstar.

In MLS, that might still earn you a few points. But in the Club World Cup, where teams with strong identities and discipline like Porto or Palmeiras are waiting, it's a path to defeat.

The image of Messi having to drop deep into the center circle to receive the ball, then single-handedly controlling the tempo and creating opportunities, is the clearest evidence. When they lose possession, Miami completely lacks defensive structure.

Once Messi is neutralized, the entire system grinds to a halt. And while Al Ahly may not be sharp enough to capitalize, Porto certainly won't miss the opportunity.

Where are Beckham and the management?

What fans found most difficult to accept was the way Inter Miami prepared for the biggest tournament in the club's history. FIFA opened a short transfer window for teams to strengthen their squads. Top clubs immediately acted: Real Madrid signed Alexander-Arnold, Man City brought in Reijnders, Cherki, Aït-Nouri…

And Miami? No new signings. Mascherano admitted he wanted reinforcements, but was refused.

Everything at Inter Miami still revolves around Lionel Messi.

David Beckham, in his role as co-owner of the club, clearly underestimated the scale and demands of this competition. A newly emerging team, without a long history of success, participating in a globally competitive tournament without strengthening its squad? That's a strategic mistake.

And when Busquets was forced to admit the truth, it wasn't just the player's fault, but also a failure on the part of the club's leadership.

Inter Miami's group still has a chance to advance, as the Porto-Palmeiras match also ended in a 0-0 draw. A win against Porto would give Miami a strong chance of progressing. However, the necessary condition is that Messi must continue to play like magic, and the sufficient condition is that Mascherano must immediately find a stable defensive system and an attacking strategy that doesn't revolve solely around Messi.

Otherwise, they will forever remain just a "team with big names," as Al Ahly coach Jose Riveiro once sarcastically remarked. The Club World Cup is not a stage of memories, but a stage of reality. And the reality for Inter Miami is: Messi cannot carry the American dream alone forever.

Source: https://znews.vn/busquets-da-dung-ve-messi-post1562042.html