Inter Miami’s Playoff Success Signals a Tactical Shift for the Messi Era
Inter Miami’s dominant 4-0 playoff victories over Nashville SC and FC Cincinnati have revealed a compelling shift in the team’s approach, especially in light of Luis Suarez’s suspension and limited role. While the front four has generally been youthful, these wins have been achieved through a more direct, transition-focused style of play – a departure from the possession-based tactics employed for much of the 2025 season, and perhaps a blueprint for the club’s future.
Possession numbers in the two playoff games dipped too 50% and 51%, representing two of the team’s five lowest figures against MLS competition all season.Simultaneously, Lionel Messi recorded his highest expected primary assists (2.1) in an MLS regular season or playoff match as joining the club in 2023.
This tactical evolution suggests Inter Miami under Messi may increasingly resemble the modern Argentina national team. Like the Herons’ recent lineups, the Argentina squad features athletic, prime-age players supporting Messi, a 38-year-old veteran. While Messi remains a potent goalscorer – potentially surpassing 900 career goals during the MLS Cup Playoffs – his role with Argentina prioritizes chance creation. Between the 2021 Copa America, 2022 World Cup, and 2024 Copa America, messi registered 8.9 expected assists compared to 7.1 non-penalty goals.His goal tally (12) exceeded his assist count (9) across those tournaments due to exceptional finishing and penalty kick opportunities.
In the current MLS postseason, Messi has already amassed six goals and six assists, setting a new MLS record for total goal contributions in a single playoff run. Notably, his recent performances against FC Cincinnati marked the first time since his arrival in June 2023 that he has recorded multiple assists in consecutive games against MLS opponents.
Interestingly, this current approach echoes the tactical vision of former manager Tata Martino, who attempted to implement a similar system in the latter half of 2023 and throughout 2024. However, key players from Martino’s system, including Leonardo Campana, Julian Gressel, and robert Taylor, were later released as Inter Miami focused on replicating the ball-dominant style of Messi’s former Barcelona teammates – Alba, Suarez, and Busquets.
now, Inter Miami appears to be reversing course, potentially with greater buy-in from Messi regarding the tactical direction. The initial results are promising, but it raises questions about what might have been achieved had this approach been adopted earlier in the 2025 season, when the team had four trophies within reach, rather than during a late-season push to secure MLS Cup and avoid a trophyless campaign for Messi.
