FORT LAUDERDALE — Inter Miami enters the World Cup break second in the MLS Eastern Conference with 31 points on a 9W-2L-4D record, riding a four-match winning streak under head coach Guillermo Hoyos that has quieted early-season doubts about the club’s midseason coaching change.
The Herons won their final four matches before the break, scoring heavily and looking far more dangerous going forward than they did under the previous staff. The biggest shift has been Germán Berterame finding his scoring form alongside Lionel Messi, a development that raises the defending MLS Cup champions’ ceiling heading into the second half.
“It can’t all be on Lionel Messi. Other players have to step up, and Berterame doing so changes this team’s ceiling,” MLS analyst coverage noted of the striker’s emergence. Messi, meanwhile, has been performing at a high level at the World Cup, and the expectation is that a healthy Messi keeps Miami among the league’s frontrunners.
Miami trails Nashville, which sits atop the Eastern Conference with 33 points on a 10W-1L-3D record under head coach B.J. Callaghan. Nashville’s attack is powered by Hany Mukhtar, Sam Surridge and Cristian Espinoza. Chicago, third in the East at 26 points (8W-4L-2D), added Robert Lewandowski to a roster already featuring Hugo Cuypers, who leads the Golden Boot race with 13 goals and 2 assists in just 11 games.
In the Western Conference, Vancouver leads at 32 points (10W-2L-2D), anchored by Sebastian Berhalter — fresh off a strong World Cup with the U.S. Men’s National Team — alongside Thomas Müller and Brian White. The potential return of Ryan Gauld, sidelined for roughly 18 months, could push Vancouver from contender to favorite. San Jose matches Vancouver’s point total at 32 (10W-3L-2D) but faces questions about roster depth, with Beau Leroux carrying much of the offensive load. LAFC sits fifth in the West at 24 points (7W-5L-3D), still waiting for Son Heung-Min to find the consistent scoring form he showed last season.
Miami’s path through the second half hinges on Messi’s health and whether Berterame can sustain his production. The MLS schedule resumes after the World Cup break, with the Herons looking to close the 2-point gap on Nashville and defend their title as reigning MLS Cup champions.