Inter Miami center back Nico Figal may be relatively new to South Florida, but he has already made a strong impression. The Argentine defender joined the club in January 2020, mere days after the birth of his daughter. Despite the timing, and the fact that he had previously played the entirety of his professional career in his native Argentina, he has rapidly adjusted to life in a new continent.
The Buenos Aires, Argentina native was helped by some familiar faces as he transitioned to this new stage of his career. As a player in Argentina’s first division, Figal faced both Julián Carranza and Matías Pellegrini, Inter Miami’s first two signings in Club history. They weren’t the only ones to help him settle in South Florida, however, as another player welcomed him into the fold. Fittingly, it was the Club’s third-ever signing, Christian Makoun, who forged a relationship with Figal. The pair have worked closely together as they both exhibit similar qualities as versatile defensive players.
Despite limited action so far, fans and teammates alike have quickly realized that Figal is a uniquely talented center back. He regularly displays a comfort on the ball that is rare for the position, but stems from the early days of his career. At the youth levels he bounced around different midfield positions, excelling in several different facets before settling in as a defender. These qualities have been on display in his 180 minutes of action with Inter Miami, as he has made a habit of dispossessing opponents, stepping into the midfield and delivering precise forward passes to teammates.
Figal has started in both of the Club’s matches and played the full 90 minutes in each, in which his aerial ability and aggressiveness going forward have made him a uniquely productive defender in attack. In two games, Figal has taken four shots, two of which were on goal.
These skills were also staples of his time with Club Atlético Independiente, notably resulting in a record of one goal and three assists in 14 matches for the club in the 2019-20 season before departing for MLS. This level of end product is atypical for a center back, but also resulted in him being deployed as a right back when necessary. One standout moment in which he displayed this ability came in September 2019 in a match against Atlético Tucumán. Figal recovered possession of the ball deep in his own half before exploding forward and weaving past five defenders with the ball at his feet. The move ended with dinking the ball over an onrushing keeper and delivering an assist to a teammate.
All of these attributes have made Figal a favorite among Inter Miami fans, but this was the case even before he showcased them in MLS. During preseason, he was invited to beat the drum that travels with Inter Miami’s supporters’ groups outside of the team hotel, before playing a single official minute in the league. The defensive stalwart has quickly ingrained himself in both the community and the team itself, making him a valued member of the Inter Miami family.
