Inter Miami CF head coach Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino, captain Lionel Messi, forward Luis Suárez, and midfielder Julian Gressel have been named to the Team of the Matchday for Matchday 3 of the MLS 2024 regular season. The tactician and the trio of players earned Team of the Matchday honors following Inter Miami’s emphatic 5-0 win at home against cross-state rivals Orlando City SC this past Saturday.
Inter Miami head coach ‘Tata’ Martino leads the Team of the Matchday following the Club's stellar performance in the team’s biggest win in its history. Martino joined Inter Miami in June of 2023 and since his arrival to South Florida, the Argentine head coach has helped transform this Inter Miami squad. In his first season in charge, Martino clinched the First Team’s historic first trophy in winning the 2023 Leagues Cup title. Now, just three games into his first full season in charge, Martino is off to an electric start - with two wins, a draw, two clean sheets at home, a triumphant 5-0 win defeating cross-state rivals, and earning Team of the Matchday honors in week 3 of this 2024 MLS season.
Messi, meanwhile, secured his place in the Team of the Matchday starting XI after netting two second half goals in the win against Orlando City SC, boasting a brace to lead the Club to its largest margin of victory in organization history. Messi netted his first of the night in the 57’ minute and just five minutes later, he secured his brace with a header goal from a Suárez assist. Messi notched his third 90-minute performance of the 2024 MLS campaign and now totals three goals and one assist on the season.
Suárez joins his fellow teammate in recognition for MLS Team of the Matchday in vehement fashion - as the first player in Club history to register multiple goals and assists in a single match. Suárez opened the scoring floodgates just four minutes into the Florida rivalry matchup at Chase Stadium, and secured his brace just seven minutes later. Tying goals with assists, Suárez notched his first assist of the evening in the 29th minute for a Robert Taylor finish, and his second came in the second half dishing an exquisite left footed cross that was tucked away by Messi. In all, Suárez’s impressive 67’ minute performance saw him net his first goals of the season and add two more assists to round out three on the season thus far.
German-born versatile midfielder Gressel, rounds out the team’’s representatives in this week’s MLS Team of the Matchday after registering his first two Inter Miami assists since joining the Club ahead of the 2024 season and helping the team secure its second clean sheet this regular season. Gressel’s influential performance led to both Suárez goals marking monumental feats in both their careers. Kicking things off early, Gressel secured his first assist in the fourth minute of the match with a grounded cross from the right wing to Suárez who finished for his first MLS goal. The synchronized duo linked up for the second time just minutes later, with a cheeky flick from Gressel that Suárez tucked away in the 11th minute.
2024 Inter Miami Team of the Matchday Honorees:
- Matchday 1 and 2: Drake Callender and Lionel Messi
- Matchday 3: Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino, Julian Gressel, Luis Suárez and Lionel Messi
