Club Internacional de Fútbol Miami, also referred to as Inter Miami CF or Inter Miami, is a professional soccer team based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida that is based in the United States. Established in 2018, the team began competing in the Eastern Conference of Major League Soccer (MLS) during the 2020 season. Prior to the club’s establishment, international attention was drawn to it by David Beckham, the president and co-owner of the team. This focus rekindled in 2023 when eight-time Ballon d’Or winner and World Cup winner Lionel Messi joined the team on a free transfer. After the deal, the team won the expanded 2023 Leagues Cup, which is the CONCACAF region’s North American zonal competition, for its first significant trophy.
History
November 2012, MLS commissioner Don Garber acknowledged the league’s renewed interest in locating an expansion franchise in Miami, after the Miami Fusion disbanded following the 2001 season and an expansion effort backed by Miami-based Bolivian telecom tycoon Marcelo Claure and FC Barcelona failed in 2009.
After David Beckham’s playing career ended in April 2013, the MLS held talks with Simon Fuller, the business manager of the player whose idea it was to give him an option to buy an expansion team at a cost of $25 million when he joined the league in 2007. Fuller suggested several expansion targets, including Miami. Other investors indicated interest in purchasing a Miami club that same year, including Miami Dolphins owner Stephen M. Ross and Italian billionaire Alessandro Butini.
Four years after the ownership first announced that they were pursuing a team, on January 29, 2018, the Miami Beckham United group—Beckham, Claure, Fuller, Masayoshi Son [founder and CEO of SoftBank] and Jorge and José Mas, the Miami-based leaders of telecommunications and construction company MasTec—was awarded the twenty-fifth MLS franchise. The team scheduled to open in the 2020 season.The announcement was a part of a bigger plan to expand Major League Soccer (MLS), which would see 26 teams by 2020 and 30 teams after that.
MLS play started by Orlando City, New York City FC, Atlanta United, Minnesota United, Los Angeles FC, and FC Cincinnati since Beckham first declared in 2014 that he intended to establish a franchise in Miami. With effect from August 4, Paul McDonough appointed sporting director. Later, the ownership group of the team changed its name to Miami Freedom Park LLC. On September 5, 2018, they declared Inter Miami CF, also known as Club Internacional de Fútbol Miami, to be the official name of the team.
Messi era
Inter Miami made the announcement that Neville had left the team on June 1, 2023. The team ranked last in the Eastern Conference at the time. Four days later, the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi declared his desire to sign with the team as a free agent after departing from Paris Saint-Germain.
He also ruled out a return to FC Barcelona and declined an offer to play for Al-Hilal in the Saudi Pro League.
On July 15, 2023, Messi agreed to terms on a Designated Player contract,
committing to the squad through the 2025 MLS season.
Tata Martino, an Argentine and former manager of Barça,
named the team’s head coach on June 28 and arrived in Miami the following month.
At an unveiling ceremony on July 16, Messi and former Barcelona teammate Sergio Busquets became official members of the squad. Jordi Alba, another one of his former Barcelona colleagues, signed with Inter Miami five days later. Resale ticket prices for Messi’s first games with the team skyrocketed by more than 1,000% after his arrival. On the online retailer Fanatics, Inter Miami surpassed all other teams in terms of sales,
and Messi set a new record for the most shirts sold in a single day.
ticket reseller StubHub, the average cost of Miami match tickets jumped fivefold to $161.
On July 21, 2023, at home in a 2-1 victory against Cruz Azul in the 2023 Leagues Cup,
Messi and Busquets made their debuts.
Both players entered the game in the 54th minute.Miami’s 11-game losing drought came to an end
when Messi scored the game-winning goal from a free kick in stoppage time.
After a 1-1 draw, Inter Miami won 10-9 on penalties to win the 2023 Leagues Cup final against Nashville SC on August 19
Messi, Busquets, and Alba made their MLS debuts on August 26, 2023, against the New York Red Bulls. The match finished in a 2-0 victory. After both players were substituted in the sixtyth minute, Messi scored the game’s winning goal. On September 16, 2023, Inter Miami lost 5–2 to Atlanta United FC,
snapping their 12-match winning streak, marking the first occasion in the Messi era that neither Messi nor Alba played.
Despite Messi’s substitution in the 55th minute, FC Cincinnati defeated Inter Miami on October 7, 2023. They were not going to make the MLS playoffs because of this outcome.On October 21,
2023, Inter Miami and Charlotte FC squared off in a Decision Day match. Even though Messi played the entire game, Inter Miami lost 1-0. For Inter Miami, Messi’s debut on artificial turf and in away colors came in this match.
Colors and badge
On September 5, 2018, the Miami Beckham United group revealed the team’s name and colors. Club Internacional de Fútbol Miami Inter Miami was the name that was revealed. The crest features two great white herons that form the letter M with their interlocking legs. Its style and color scheme are reminiscent of the city’s Art Deco architectural heritage. An eclipse is seen between the herons, with the sun’s seven rays symbolizing the number that player Beckham frequently wore. The entire accomplishment shows the team name surrounded by the Roman numerals MMXX,
which stand for 2020, the team’s first season of competition.