Inter Miami CF made history in the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™, marking yet another milestone for the Club in just its sixth season since its inception. In its debut campaign at the new global tournament, and its fifth overall appearance at an international competition, Inter Miami made memories that will live on forever.
Below, let's take a look back at the Club’s milestone participation at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™.
First Club World Cup Participation
Inter Miami played its first Club World Cup, taking part in the revamped 32-team 2025 edition. The Club achieved one of its main objectives by competing in a top-level tournament that pitted it against some of the best teams in global fútbol.
“We started Inter Miami with a dream. It’s on our jersey ‘Freedom to Dream’. We started Inter Miami with an idea and a desire to become a global club,” reminisced Inter Miami CF Managing Owner, Jorge Mas. “It's a very proud moment and a historic moment for our Club.”
“The fact that we’re here in front of all of these fans, in this stadium, in our city, playing the opening game in the Club World Cup is an incredible position to be in. We’re very proud of what we’ve done in the last [six] years, but this is the next step and it's a very exciting night for us,” said Inter Miami CF Co-Owner, David Beckham ahead of the team’s debut in the tournament.
Among the 16 Best Clubs in the World
Inter Miami successfully advanced past the group stage to the Round of 16 as the field was reduced from 32 to 16 teams by securing one of the top two spots in Group A. The team finished the group stage with an impressive unbeaten record, with one win and two draws for a total five points to become the first MLS team to reach the knockout rounds at a Club World Cup.
"We’re into the best 16 teams in the world. I think all of MLS has to be proud of Inter Miami," highlighted Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano.
“To sit here playing today in the Round of 16 is a dream come true,” stated Mas.
Inter Miami debuted with a hard-fought 0-0 draw against Al Ahly, with Óscar Ustari delivering a performance for the ages, including an epic penalty save to secure the result.
The team then silenced doubters with an impressive win against Portuguese giant FC Porto (we’ll cover that below), before sealing its qualification with a 2-2 draw against Brazilian powerhouse Palmeiras.
Luis Suárez starred on the night with a man of the match performance against Palmeiras, finding the back of the net with a spectacular solo effort for the team’s second goal in the match and also dishing out an assist.
History Against FC Porto
The aforementioned 2-1 victory over Porto on June 19 presented a historic evening for the Club, as Inter Miami secured its first-ever win in the global competition. The memorable comeback win also saw Inter Miami become the first club in Concacaf history to defeat a European opponent in an official competition, and the first team from the United States to win in a match in a Club World Cup.
Inter Miami went down 0-1, before Telasco Segovia tied the scoring in 47th minute of play with a right-footed rocket following a precise delivery into the box from right back Marcelo Weigandt.
Lionel Messi was then in charge of sealing the comeback, showcasing his magic once again. Our Club captain stepped up to the ball for a free kick… and buried it in the top right corner.
“I saw that the goalkeeper was standing a little more in the middle, and well, I took advantage of the space he left,” explained Messi. "It's a huge joy. A great effort was made, the whole team worked very well. It's a very important victory for us, and we should enjoy it.”
“We’re proud to be the first Concacaf team to win against a European team. We have a lot of quality in our group, and we believe in ourselves. We want to continue doing more, and I think we have the group to do that,” underscored attacker Fafa Picualt.
The Inter Miami Show
Inter Miami’s matches were among the main attractions throughout the Club World Cup, with fans from all around the world being present at the team’s games. Notably, Inter Miami ranked fourth among the 32 participating sides in terms of average attendance throughout the group stage, bringing an average of 51,208 fans - more than popular and historic sides such as Club Atlético Boca Juniors, FC Bayern Munich, and Manchester City FC.
Attendance for Inter Miami’s group stage action averaged 51,208 fans: 60,927 vs. Al Ahly FC, 31,783 vs. FC Porto, and 60,914 vs. SE Palmeiras.
Inspiring Next Generation
Inter Miami’s success at the Club World Cup featured heavy involvement from its young crop of players, including rising stars that came through the Club’s player development pathway.
Homegrowns Noah Allen, Benjamin Cremaschi and Ian Fray proudly represented the Club’s Academy, with the trio notably having standout performances in the remarkable victory against Porto. Additionally, Allen was a fixture in the team’s lineups throughout the tournament, with the defender starting each of Inter Miami’s four matches.
“All three of them have had a formidable performance…. I think the Club needs to see its reflection in the Homegrown players, the Academy players," said Mascherano. "These are the people the Club truly cares about, beyond the greats we have who lead the way. Great teams are built with people from the Club”
“The Academy is something we’ve always been very proud of. Our dream was to bring the best players in the world, and we’ve done that. But, ultimately we want to breed young talented players that get to play with these great players. You look at the players, Noah Allen, Benja Cremaschi, Ian Fray… you look at these young players that played in this tournament and they’ve done very well. That’s the ultimate goal, to have a club that brings these young players through,” detailed Beckham.
Additionally, prior to the tournament getting underway, the FIFA Club World Cup trophy tour came through Florida Blue Training Center. The trophy’s stay at the Club’s facilities included a special moment to inspire the future generations from our Academy, with homegrowns Allen and Fray presenting the trophy to current Academy players.
