For the first time in the club’s history, Inter Miami CF has won the Supporters’ Shield. The team secured the best record for the 2024 MLS regular season with a 3-2 victory against Columbus Crew today. Captain Lionel Messi scored twice, while forward Luis Suárez added another goal, and goalkeeper Drake Callender made a crucial penalty save to secure this historic achievement for the team. This trophy guarantees Inter Miami the top spot in the Eastern Conference and the advantage of playing at home during the 2024 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs.
As the Supporters’ Shield winners, Inter Miami qualifies to compete in the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup, marking the team’s second consecutive participation in the tournament; they reached the quarterfinals in 2024. Inter Miami can also secure a direct spot in the round of 16 of the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup by winning the 2024 MLS Cup.
The team will host its first-ever postseason match when they face the winner of the Eastern Conference ‘Wild Card’ match in the 2024 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs, which will feature the 8th and 9th seeded teams in a Best of 3 series starting Saturday, October 26. Inter Miami will play at home in the first and, if necessary, third matches of the series at Chase Stadium, while their opponent will host the second match. The schedule for the Best of 3 series will be finalized once the full calendar for the 2024 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs is announced.
Since making its MLS debut in 2020, Inter Miami is now only the sixth active club to win the Supporters’ Shield in its first five seasons in the league, and the seventeenth different club to win the trophy in the league’s 29 seasons. Since the regular season expanded to 34 games in 2011, Miami is just the third team to win the Supporters’ Shield after failing to qualify for the playoffs the previous season, joining LAFC in 2022 and San Jose Earthquakes in 2012.
Head coach Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino has led Inter Miami CF to a record-breaking season with historic accomplishments. Notable achievements include becoming the third fastest club to secure postseason qualification and dominating the league with the most wins, goals, and points in the club’s history (with remaining matches yet to be played).
In his second season at the helm, Martino has orchestrated a remarkable turnaround for the team, rising from 27th place in the Supporters’ Shield standings in 2023 to first in 2024. He has helped Inter Miami achieve a record of 20 wins, 4 losses, and 8 draws, with a goal difference of +25 and two regular-season matches remaining. The Supporters’ Shield marks the ninth trophy for Martino as a football club manager and his fourth in MLS.
The team has benefited from the contributions of a diverse group of players, including global stars like Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba; local talents developed in the Academy like Benjamin Cremaschi, David Ruiz, Ian Fray, and Noah Allen; SuperDraft selections Yannick Bright and Leo Afonso; promising young talents from around the world such as Diego Gómez, Federico Redondo, and Tomás Avilés; veterans at the peak of their careers with winning experience like Julian Gressel and Matías Rojas; as well as the steadfast leadership of goalkeeper Drake Callender and the entire roster.
Messi, in particular, has shone during the regular season, recording impressive figures of 17 goals and 15 assists, the highest for the team, in just 17 matches. Suárez has also played a key role in his first season with the club, leading the team with 18 goals in the regular season and contributing six assists. The duo has produced several standout individual moments on the way to winning the Supporters’ Shield and became the first teammates in MLS history to be named Player of the Week three times each in a single season.
With two regular-season matches remaining, Inter Miami is aiming to break the MLS points record for a season. The team needs to win both of its remaining matches to surpass the 73-point mark set by New England Revolution in 2021, culminating in a matchup against New England on Decision Day.
The upcoming matches are as follows:
Saturday, October 5, away against Toronto FC (4 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV)
Saturday, October 19, at home against New England Revolution (6 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV)