Lionel Messi has urged Inter Miami to stick together as they look to improve their recent poor form ahead of the Club World Cup.
Miami were beaten 3-0 by Orlando City last night, their fifth defeat in seven games in league and cup, to slip to sixth place in the MLS Eastern Conference.
Luis Muriel, Marco Pasalic and Dagur Thorhallsson all scored for Orlando as they secured their first win in almost two years against their Floridian rivals.
Full time. pic.twitter.com/rUh5PHDA3e
— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) May 19, 2025
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Captain Messi calls for unity
It was another disappointing night for Miami but Messi called for calm and togetherness.
“[We need to] keep going. It’s a complicated time,” Messi told Apple TV.
“But we’ll all stay united. We’re a team in difficult times, because when everyone wins, it’s easy, but now that difficult times are coming, that’s when we have to be more united than ever, be a true team, and move forward, because we have what it takes.
“Think about what’s next and prepare for the next game.”
Miami take part in the expanded Club World Cup next month and have been placed in Group A alongside Palmeiras, Porto and Al Ahly.
“We’re coming off a period of bad results,” Messi added. “But we have to keep working and think about what’s next. With three or four games left in May, we [have to] finish the best possible way to be able to face the Club World Cup.”
We must overcome this together – Mascherano
After an impressive start to his Miami tenure, the honeymoon period is certainly over for coach Javier Mascherano.
And the Argentine followed the same script as countryman Messi in calling for unity from his players.
He said: “When you are in this dynamic, if we each start pulling ourselves to the side it’ll be impossible to overcome the moment.
“It’s clear that we must overcome this all together because clearly this team has shown, especially at the beginning of the season, what they are capable of.
“Right now, I take full responsibility. I will not point out any players publicly, I am not that way. No one enters the pitch trying to have a bad time or to suffer. Every player tries to do their best with virtues and errors, and now we have to try to get the best out of these players to move forward.”
Next up for Miami is a clash with the Eastern Conference leading Philadelphia Union on Saturday.
