Football Season Guide

Inter Miami were expected to sweep all before them in 2024 and it appeared to be going to plan at the end of the Regular Season. The Herons topped the Eastern Conference and stormed to the Supporters’ Shield with a new record 74 points. MLS Cup seemed almost an inevitability, but a shock exit to unfancied Atlanta United in the first round of the play-offs provided an unexpected sting in the tail. Head coach Tata Martino resigned, although the general feeling is that he jumped before he was pushed, having also failed to defend the Leagues Cup and produced a poor showing in the club's inaugural appearance in the CONCACAF Champions Cup. The hierarchy has lofty ambitions and having added Luis Suárez to their roster of superstars last summer, any manager that fails to deliver silverware is going to be in jeopardy. The next man to put his head on the chopping block is another former Barcelona alumni Javier Mascherano, in his first senior job. The Argentinean has an embarrassment of attacking riches at his disposal and as always, it’ll be his countryman Lionel Messi at the forefront of everything. The consensus greatest player to ever play the game got 23 goals and 13 assists in 25 appearances last season but missed a large chunk of the summer due to injury and international duty. Miami actually coped surprisingly well for long periods without their star player, but there is no doubt that the likes of him and Suárez provide the type of match-winning ability that has rarely been seen in MLS. There have been a lot of incomings and outgoings during the off-season. Diego Gomez was an unsung hero of the Herons’ attack and he has completed a move to Brighton in the Premier League. Fafa Picault looks set to be his replacement after a successful season at Vancouver. Question marks remain over Miami’s defence but the appointment of Mascherano, a tough-tackling defensive player during his decorated career, suggests it will be an area that is improved. Gonzalo Luján and Maxi Falcón look set to add some South American grit to the backline. If the Herons can become a more well organised unit, coupled with their potent attack, they could be unstoppable.