Inter Miami played a 1:1 draw with Nashville SC, crashing out of the Concacaf Champions Cup on away goals. Lionel Messi opened the scoring for Inter Miami in the 7th minute, while Cristian Espinoza equalised in the 74th minute.
Softfootball believes Javier Mascherano, the manager of Inter Miami, should take a share of the blame for the team’s elimination from the competition. Fans, pundits, and analysts have raised concerns over key decisions, particularly squad selection.
Questions have been asked about why Rocco Ríos Novo, regarded as Inter Miami’s best goalkeeper this season, was left on the bench. Similarly, Mateo Silvetti, one of the team’s most effective attacking players, started on the bench, while Germán Berterame was preferred in the starting lineup.
There are also concerns about tactical changes. Last season, Inter Miami found success with Messi playing as a false 9, supported by a front three that included Tadeo Allende and Mateo Silvetti, alongside a midfield trio focused on ball recovery and distribution to Messi. This simple and effective system brought results and titles.
However, this season Mascherano has altered the setup, deploying Germán Berterame as a false 9 with Messi playing behind him. Since Berterame has been starting, his impact has not been significant, raising further questions about the system change.
The Concacaf Champions Cup was one of the major competitions fans hoped Messi would win this season. As of Friday, 20 March 2026, Messi’s career achievements remain remarkable, including:
- Most Ballon D’OR
- Most Golden Boots
- Most FIFA the best
- Most trophies
- Most Playmaker Awards
- Most MOTM
- Most Assists
- Most Dribbles
- Most 10/10 Ratings
- Most World Cup MVP
- 900 Goals scored
