Coach Diego Alonso coined the saying, “Solo los Duros,” which translates to “Only the Tough,” after Inter Miami clinched a playoff berth in their first season.
Inter Miami debuted on March 1, and though their season is over, it is safe to say that the team’s inaugural season was a success. Let’s take a look at how a first season expansion team fought through a rough start with COVID-19 and secured a spot in the 2020 Major League Soccer (MLS) Playoffs.
Being an expansion team isn’t easy. Inter Miami’s initial roster consisted of a majority of free agents from other MLS teams and some players in Europe and South America whose contracts were up. In the MLS, transfer rules are a bit different than the average league. Teams can only go over their budget, whether it’s for a transfer or a contract, three times per season. They are called “designated players.”
Inter Miami used their first two designated player slots before the season started. Attacking midfielder Rodolfo Pizarro from Monterrey, Mexico and winger Matias Pellegrini from Estudiantes de La Plata, Argentina.
Of course, with the club being run by former soccer star and international icon, David Beckham, there are obvious perks in terms of choice. Inter Miami didn’t want to use their third designated player spot because they wanted a star. They had been linked with numerous superstars, though none of them were signed at the time.
Inter Miami had a rough start to the season, starting off with five losses in a row before getting their first win in franchise history. The team had only scored six goals in eight games and had conceded 11 goals in that time. It was clear that this team wasn’t going to get it done. Regardless of the squad’s performances being disappointing, they were still expected to be in the running for the playoffs.
To help with their playoff push, Inter Miami brought in two world-class players who are easily the best in the entire MLS: striker Gonzalo Higuain and midfielder Blaise Matuidi. Higuain and Matuidi played together for Juventus before making their moves to Inter Miami, but Matuidi was signed using TAM (targeted allocation money) and Higuain was the third designated player. The team also signed defender Leandro Gonzalez Pirez to captain their backline and Gonzalo’s brother, Federico Higuain, who plays midfield.
The midseason reinforcements elevated Inter Miami to a playoff-level team. After the acquisitions, Inter Miami won six games, drew two times and lost seven times.
The MLS playoffs allowed 10 teams from each conference. It worked on a points per game basis. A win grants the team three points, a draw grants the team one point and a loss has no effect on the point values. Inter Miami finished with 24 points in 23 games, just over one point per game, which was good for tenth place in the Eastern Conference.
Inter Miami’s points don’t necessarily reflect how talented their team is due to the fact the players hadn’t been a part of the team for the entire season. Inter Miami has the most talented roster in the MLS and should have a great chance to win the MLS Cup.
