Inter Miami’s 2024 season is at an end already, with the Florida franchise crashing out of the play-offs at the first possible hurdle.
Atlanta United beat the Herons in the best-of-three series with a dramatic 3-2 win at Chase Stadium on Saturday, with Tata Martino’s side unable to get going against the Five Stripes despite having Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez playing the entire game.
With Sergio Busquets’ fitness pinned as a reason why Inter Miami didn’t go all the way in the play-offs this year, fans of the Florida franchise will feel like 2024 has been a monumental failure despite winning the Supporters’ Shield and setting a new regular-season points record.
And MLS legend Sacha Kljestan believes Inter Miami’s season has been a success because of exactly that.
Inter Miami’s season a success after winning ‘the best trophy’
Speaking on MLS Wrap-Up, the former USA international and New York Red Bulls superstar noted that Inter Miami won ‘the best trophy’ this year in the Supporters’ Shield, a title that in most soccer leagues would have crowned the Herons as MLS champions.
With Inter Miami’s Supporters’ Shield win qualifying Martino’s side for next year’s FIFA Club World Cup, there have been many great moments for Messi and company this season even if the Florida giants fell short in the play-offs.
And for Kljestan, Inter Miami’s only failure this year came in the play-offs, with the pundit saying: “In the series, yes. Over the course of the season, I still think this is a successful year for Inter Miami.
“They won the Supporters’ Shield, they won the best trophy there is to win in MLS, I don’t subscribe to that [MLS Cup being the most important trophy]. A play-off flop? Sure, but not the whole season being a failure.”
Inter Miami now know 2025 has to be the year they win everything
2023 was the year everything started with Inter Miami signing Messi, Busquets and Jordi Alba, with 2024 the year expectations were set sky-high as the Herons brought in Suarez and set numerous records with their superstar team.
Yet failure in the play-offs could be a telling sign that Inter Miami weren’t ready just yet to go all the way in winning everything there was to win, with the Herons falling short earlier this season in the CONCACAF Champions Cup and Leagues Cup.
And if Inter Miami can get the right moves done heading into 2025, next year could be the one where the Florida franchise becomes unstoppable, especially if Messi and friends can stay motivated and fit to give it their all.