The Inter Miami CF Academy U-16 team concluded its participation in the inaugural edition of the MESSI CUP, finishing sixth after a week of high-level competition against some of the world’s most prestigious clubs and their top U-16 talents.
Tournament Action
The tournament kicked off in memorable fashion with a grand opening ceremony at Chase Stadium, where Inter Miami U-16 captain Nash Dearmin presented the 2025 Landon Donovan MLS Most Valuable Player Award to Club captain Leo Messi in front of the fans.
Our U-16 squad played their opening group stage match against Newell’s Old Boys and delivered an outstanding 4-0 victory for a strong start in the tournament. Next, Inter Miami faced Atlético de Madrid with our boys narrowly falling in a 1-0 defeat against the Spanish side.
In the final group stage fixture, Inter Miami faced English powerhouse Chelsea FC in an entertaining, action-packed contest. Despite creating multiple chances, our Academy side ultimately fell 4-1 as Chelsea secured the three points.
After finishing third in their group, Inter Miami U-16s were matched up with FC Barcelona in the fifth-place match. The encounter lived up to expectations, producing a thrilling encounter. Although Inter Miami came up short, a high-scoring 6-4 result in favor of Barcelona highlighted the Academy’s quality and competitiveness against elite European opposition.
This exciting experience reflects the Academy’s continued growth and commitment to developing top-tier talent capable of competing at the highest levels.
For additional coverage of our teams, you can follow our Academy’s journey online via X @InterMiamiAcad and Instagram @InterMiamiCFAcademy!
