Where are they now? Inter Miami’s XI from Lionel Messi’s memorable debut in 2023

It’s over 18 months since Lionel Messi made his iconic debut for Inter Miami and in that time the MLS outfit have undergone quite the transformation.

Luis Suarez is among the star names that have been drafted in to help Messi’s Inter Miami compete at the top end of North American soccer. The Galactico policy has proved successful, with David Beckham’s newly-formed club winning their first Supporters’ Shield last year.

Messi, in true style, marked his debut against Mexican side Cruz Azul with a last-minute winner, a peach of a free-kick. But what became of the Inter Miami side that featured in that 2-1 Leagues Cup victory?

We’ve revisited the starting XI and checked in on where every player is today, a year and a half later.

GK: Drake Callender

Callender has been with Inter Miami since their formation and remains at the club today.

The 27-year-old is yet to make his international debut for the United States, but he did receive a call-up and trained with Gregg Berhalter’s squad for a pair of friendlies in August 2023.

He stood between the sticks as Inter Miami beat Nashville SC on penalties in the 2023 Leagues Cup final and started most weeks in their Supporters’ Shield victory last year.

New boss Javier Mascherano called upon 38-year-old veteran Oscar Ustari for the first two MLS outings of 2025, but Callender was back on the bench at the weekend and is expected to return to the fold following a minor muscle injury.

RB: DeAndre Yedlin

The former Newcastle United right-back wore the armband during Messi’s early weeks at the club, and the pair of them lifted the Leagues Cup together. But they didn’t overlap for all that long in the Florida sunshine.

After two years with Inter Miami, Yedlin joined fellow recent-ish expansion club FC Cincinnati ahead of the 2024 MLS season.

“Just his overall vibe and attitude … he’s always smiling, he talks to everybody,” Yedlin said of the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner.

“He could have come in and said, ‘I’m doing stuff my way and that’s how it’s going to be.’ But he’s come in and he’s completely mixed in with the group: the old guys, the young guys, just like a regular player.

“Obviously I had ridiculous respect for him as a player before I played with him, but I have even more respect for him now. He’s an unbelievable human being.”

CB: Kamal Miller (Christopher McVey, ’74)

Experienced Canada international Miller only spent one season with Inter Miami. He left alongside Yedlin last winter, joining Portland Timbers.

Swedish defender McVey also left in 2024. He spent a season with D.C. United and has recently joined Western Conference outfit San Diego FC.

CB: Serhiy Kryvtsov

Veteran Ukraine international Kryvtsov joined Inter Miami in 2022, having won seven Ukrainian Premier League titles and seven Ukrainian Cups during his prime years at Shakhtar Donetsk.

He saw out his two-year contract in Miami and has recently been released. The 33-year-old is a free agent and is currently looking for a new club.

LB: Ian Fray (Noah Allen, ’30)

Two separate cruciate ligament injuries have stunted Fray’s early development at Inter Miami, but the homegrown utility man is still only 22 and has time on his side to put those behind him.

He’s featured in both MLS outings so far this season but a straight red card in Sunday’s 4-1 victory at Houston Dynamo will keep him out of action for the foreseeable.

Twenty-year-old USA youth international Allen has recently made the switch to represent Greece. He remains at Inter Miami and looks set for a less peripheral role this season, having played every minute of the campaign so far.

READ: The 12 most valuable players in the MLS in 2025: Where does Lionel Messi rank?

DM: Dixon Arroyo

Another stop-gap signing, Arroyo has spent the entirety of his professional career in his home country of Ecuador barring the 2023 season he spent with Miami.

Last year he signed for Barcelona… S.C., the Ecuadorian Serie A club based in Guayaquil.

CM: Benjamin Cremaschi (Lionel Messi, ’54)

Born and raised in Miami, Florida, Cremaschi has represented his hometown club since before Messi’s arrival.

The 20-year-old midfielder already has three senior caps under his belt for the United States and will surely be a big part of Inter Miami’s future after this generation of ageing ex-Barca old boys hang up their boots.

Messi, meanwhile, is into the last year of his contract with Inter Miami. He’s notched 36 goals and 20 assists in just 42 appearances for the club, starting as he meant to go on:

LIONEL ANDRÉS MESSI IS NOT HUMAN. pic.twitter.com/2mBDI41mLy

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) July 22, 2023

CM: David Ruiz (Sergio Busquets, ’54)

Like Cremaschi, Fray and Allen, Honduras international Ruiz is another young, rising star that will no doubt learn a lot from playing alongside these experienced greats of the European game.

The 21-year-old will be hoping to nail down a regular starting spot under Mascherano this season.

Busquets also made his debut that night for Inter Miami and was introduced alongside his old Barcelona pal early in the second half. The 36-year-old remains a lynchpin of their midfield, and is also into the last year of his contract.

FWR: Robbie Robinson

Robinson fell out of favour at Inter Miami last season, failing to play a single minute in the 2024 MLS campaign.

The winger’s contract was terminated by mutual consent last June and he’s been without a club ever since.

ST: Leonardo Campana (Josef Martinez, ’55)

You might remember Campana’s name from his time on the periphery at Wolves. The Ecuadorian striker was talked up as one to watch, but he never made an appearance for the Premier League club amid a series of loans away.

After scoring 11 goals in 26 appearances for Inter Miami on loan in 2022, the move was made permanent. But he wasn’t quite as prolific in subsequent years and became more of an impact sub.

In December he joined New England Revolution for $2.5 million, making it a record-breaking domestic deal.

Venezuela international Martinez is the only current active MLS player with over a hundred goals in the competition, but his stint with Inter Miami was short and sweet.

After five great years at Atlanta United, the striker has become something of a journeyman. He lasted just one year at CF Montreal and has recently joined San Jose Earthquakes, the fourth MLS club he’s represented in as many years.

QUIZ: Can you name the top 30 goalscorers in Major League Soccer history?

FWL: Robert Taylor

The Finnish winger remains at Inter Miami, having notched over a hundred matches for the club since 2022.

Both of his MLS appearances under Mascherano have been off the bench.

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