Club World Cup Team Betting Predictions: Inter Miami

David Beckham's Inter Miami? Lionel Messi's Inter Miami? Take your pick, but one thing's for sure - the Herons are going to be one of the most closely followed teams at this year's Fifa Club World Cup in the USA.

Below are my Inter Miami Fifa Club World Cup 2025 predictions as I ponder the MLS side's chances of reaching the latter stages of the tournament.

Group A: FC Porto, Palmeiras, Al Ahly, Inter Miami

Fixtures: Al Ahly vs Inter Miami (01:00 BST, June 15), Inter Miami vs FC Porto (20:00 BST, June 19), Inter Miami vs Palmeiras (02:00 BST, June 24)

Player to watch: Lionel Messi

Inter Miami's participation in the Club World Cup is not without controversy, as Fifa seemingly created a new rule to include Messi and his teammates.

What's done is done, though, and now we get to see how the Argentine, at the grand old age of 37, fares against some of the best with an average supporting cast behind him. Of course, there are some talented youngsters, notably Federico Redondo, in Javier Mascherano's side, but there are a lot of miles on the clock in Messi and his three former Barcelona teammates, Sergio Busquets, Luis Suarez and Jordi Alba, all of whom moved stateside to link up with the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner.

The Herons stormed to the MLS Supporters' Shield last year, finishing eight points ahead of the Columbus Crew in the Eastern Conference, but they were eliminated in the first round of the play-offs, losing to Atlanta United in one of the biggest upsets in the competition's history.

Club World Cup 2025 Odds

Another of Messi's former teammates, Mascherano, who played with him at club and international level, was brought in as head coach earlier this year, and after a promising start, things started to unravel, both domestically and continentally.

Inter Miami were dumped out of the Concacaf Champions Cup by Vancouver Whitecaps in the semi-finals, and went on a run of just one win in six MLS games before securing back-to-back victories to get back on track.

With four regular starters aged 36 or older, this is a side with clear physical limitations, so they might need some more Messi magic if they harbour ambitions of going far in the tournament.

Player to watch: Lionel Messi

Who else? I could try to be alternative and wax lyrical about the talents of Venezuela international Telasco Segovia, who has scored four goals and registered five assists in 15 MLS appearances this season, but really, we're all tuning in to Inter Miami games to watch the main man Messi.

The legendary No.10 is still doing the business in the USA, netting 10 times and laying on a further seven goals for his teammates in just 13 MLS outings this year, while also scoring five in seven Concacaf Champions Cup matches.

Messi has won silverware at domestic and international level over the past 12 months, but outside of the Americas, many people's last memories of him will be at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where he was the inspiration behind his nation's success.

So, can Messi step up again in front of a world audience? Even at his age, you wouldn't put it past the little magician to sparkle some more stardust against some of football's elite.

*FIFA Club World Cup: Bet £10 or more on a team to win the 2025 Club World Cup and receive £2 in Free Bets for each game your team wins in 90 minutes to use on Football Bet Builders.

Football Odds

Prediction: 3rd in Group A

Inter Miami (1/1) are third-favourites to qualify from Group A, behind FC Porto (1/2) and Palmeiras (8/15), but in front of Al Ahly (9/4). I have a different opinion about the ordering of number one and two, but I think Messi & Co. could be on for a third-place finish here.

I wouldn't completely dismiss Inter Miami's chances of qualifying from the group, with Messi and, to a lesser extent, Suarez, still capable of the spectacular, but I just don't think they have the physicality to compete with Palmeiras or Porto.

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