Legends

Inter Miami only launched as an MLS expansion franchise in 2020 yet already have a host of legends. Lionel Messi and Gregore are just two of the icons to emerge at Chase Stadium.

David Beckham saw his long-awaited dream come to fruition in 2020 as Vice City played the first game in Inter Miami’s history as a club. Since then, the Herons have welcomed a raft of high-profile players to South Florida. And some have made themselves Inter Miami legends.

Other players like Gregore have made themselves Chase Stadium icons with the displays they have provided Vice City. He arrived with pedigree from his glittering career in Brazil and served as their captain. So, with that in mind, here are Inter Miami’s top five legends so far…

Lionel Messi

Inter Miami will forever remember July 15, 2023 as the day that Messi signed his contract to join as a free agent. The seven-time Balon d’Or winner agreed to join Vice City following his exit from Paris Saint-Germain as one of the sport’s greatest-ever players, if not the greatest.

Messi’s arrival at Chase Stadium was beyond a huge coup for Beckham and Inter Miami’s co-owners. He is an undisputed icon and the most decorated player in the game’s history. A World Cup winners’ medal also, finally, joined the Argentine’s stacked cabinet at Qatar 2022.

His illustrious career with FC Barcelona yielded four Champions League winners’ medals and 10 La Liga titles. While the winger’s time in France saw Messi win two Ligue 1 titles. He even scored 672 and assisted 303 goals in 778 games for Barcelona plus 32 and 35 in 75 at PSG.

Goals followed from his debut with Inter Miami, too, as Messi emphasized his instant status as a legend in America. The Rosario native stunned a jubilant Herons fanbase as he guided a trademark free-kick home in stoppage-time to win 2-1 against Cruz Azul in the Leagues Cup.

Gregore

Phil Neville signed a future Inter Miami legend in February 2021 as he lured Gregore to Chase Stadium. The Brazilian had never previously played outside of his home country. But he agreed to join Vice City from Esporte Clube Bahia after a glittering career in South America.

Inter Miami sought Gregore’s signature having lacked much bite in the engine room through their inaugural MLS season. Yet he quickly improved their core with a combative presence to merit the captaincy. Messi would adopt the armband in 2023 while Gregore was out injured.

Surgery for a Lisfranc injury in March 2023 took away a vital part of Neville’s side. Gregore was more than an enforcer at Chase Stadium as he offered a threat in the final third, too. He further had winning experiences from Campeonato Baiano titles in 2018, 2019 and 2020.

Rodolfo Pizarro

Inter Miami paid CF Monterrey the $12m release clause to sign Rodolfo Pizarro as only their second Designated Player. His time at Chase Stadium saw the Mexican become a legend, too. But the Herons agreed to mutually terminate his terms to make way for Messi in 2023.

Pizarro bowed out of South Florida as an icon who started Vice City’s debut match in March 2020 against LAFC. He also scored Vice City’s first-ever MLS goal in a 2-1 loss at DC United. He even secured Inter Miami their first MLS win with a 3-2 result against rivals, Orlando City.

Such was his impact with the Herons that Major League Soccer named Pizarro as a nominee for the 2020 Landon Donovan MLS MVP award. He ended Vice City’s first season with three goals and four assists. But Neville sent him back to Monterrey on loan for the 2022 season.

Gonzalo Higuain

Inter Miami made a groundbreaking transfer in September 2020 as Gonzalo Higuain arrived in the USA. The Argentine striker moved to Chase Stadium as a record-setting attacker in the Italian Serie A. He also boasted heaps of trophies from his stint in Spain at Real Madrid.

Higuain matched a Serie A record that had stood since 1928/29 with 36 goals in the 2015/16 campaign at Napoli. He also led Juventus to the Scudetto in 2016/17, 2017/18 and 2019/20. While his Galacticos days yielded La Liga titles in the 2006/07, 2007/08 and 2011/12 terms.

The forward’s CV would become a who’s who of European greats with spells at AC Milan and Chelsea, too. But Higuain rounded off his trophy-laden career at Inter Miami, where he hit 29 goals in 70 games. The 75-cap Argentina hero also laid on a further 11 assists for Vice City.

Drake Callender

Drake Callender joined the Inter Miami project for Vice City’s inaugural season in 2020 after making his name at the California Golden Bears of UC Berkeley. He cost the Herons the first pick during the second round for the 2020 MLS SuperDraft to the San Jose Earthquakes.

The deal which also afforded Quakes up to $150k in General Allocation Money saw Vice City acquire Callender’s Homegrown Player Rights. Yet it was not until the 2022 MLS season that he became the Herons’ No1. Callender even spent the 2020 campaign with Fort Lauderdale.

But, as their No1, Callender helped Inter Miami reach the MLS play-offs for the first time in 2022. He would then be the hero that delivered the first piece of silverware to Inter Miami’s trophy record. Callender proved the difference during the Leagues Cup final in August 2023.

Callender started all seven of Inter Miami’s ties in the 2023 Leagues Cup and kept two clean sheets. But his heroics in the final against Nashville SC cemented the goalkeeper’s status as an Inter Miami legend after scoring in the shoot-out and then saving Elliot Panicco’s penalty.