How Inter Miami Could Line Up in 2026: New Signings Boost Trophy Hopes

The 2025 MLS Cup champions will look very different to start 2026.

Javier Mascherano enters his second season as Inter Miami manager. | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Less than three months after capturing the club’s first MLS Cup, Inter Miami is set to return to the MLS regular season and find itself with an extremely different outlook after a formative offseason. 

Gone are the soccer legends of Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, who retired following the triumph. At the same time, 2025 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Dayne St. Clair, towering striker Germán Berterame, and others join the fold for 2026. 

The Herons are also likely to play over 50 games for the second year in a row, making depth an even more pressing topic than it was in 2025. Yet, with an aggressive offseason, they should have the tools to chase after as many as four trophies in 2026 under manager Javier Mascherano. 

But, how could it all come together?

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Additions Shift Inter Miami Outlook 

Last season, Inter Miami largely relied on either a 4-3-3 or 4-4-2 lineup, with the odd 4-2-3-1 thrown into the mix. The defining factor, however, was the lack of a true potent attacking star, leaving Lionel Messi often as a deeper-lying second striker, alongside an attacking midfielder, shadowing in a higher role. 

The club addressed those concerns this season, spending a club-record $15 million to add Berterame from Monterrey, paving the way for a more defined attacking setup in 2026. At the same time, his addition allows Messi to focus on creating rather than goalscoring, thereby making wide players, including Tadeo Allende, among others, more of a threat. 

At the back, St. Clair instantly takes the starting role and unlike 2025, there will be no battle between the sticks throughout the season. Meanwhile, former Brazilian Serie A defender Micael arrives, likely to line up alongside Maxi Falcón in the heart of the centerback position. 

With such significant offseason moves, here’s how Inter Miami could line up when at their best and fully healthy in 2026. 

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Inter Miami Predicted Lineup for 2026 (4-2-3-1)

Lionel Messi (left) could play a traditional role in 2026. | Marcos PIN/AFP/Getty Images

GK: Dayne St. Clair—Expected to be Canada’s No. 1 goalkeeper at the 2026 World Cup, St. Clair has elite shot-stopping abilities and was relied upon by Minnesota United to spark attacks from out of defense. 

RB: Ian Fray—Now a fully fledged Jamaica international, Fray will look to maintain his health throughout the season and make the most of overlapping runs behind Tadeo Allende on the right side. If he falters, Facundo Mura will take his spot. 

CB: Maxi Falcón—One of the few holdovers on the backline, Falcón’s physical play and leadership proved vital for Inter Miami in the second half of the 2025 campaign. 

CB: Micael—After an impressive spell with the Houston Dynamo in 2024, Micael returns to MLS with a year of experience in Brazil’s top flight from 2025. 

LB: Sergio Regulión—A former Premier League and La Liga defender, Regulión comes to Inter Miami looking to be a more active option than Jordi Alba on the left side of the backline. However, he suffered an injury in the preseason and could miss the start of the competitive schedule.

DM: Yannick Bright—Now without Busquets in the team, Mascherano will lean further on former MLS SuperDraft pick Yannick Bright, who is now 24, has 68 appearances under his belt and recently signed a deal through 2027–28, with an option for 2028–29.

DM: Rodrigo De Paul—Entering his first full season in MLS, De Paul will look to establish himself further, likely playing in a more consistent central role, after spending portions of the 2025 campaign as a right midfielder. 

RM: Tadeo Allende—Now a permanent member of Inter Miami after the club worked out a deal with La Liga’s Celta Vigo, Allende will look to use his read of Messi’s play and his speed to carry the form that saw him score a record nine MLS Cup playoff goals into the regular season. 

AM: Lionel Messi—Back in a traditional No. 10 role in this setup, Messi will be able to expose space in midfield amid his efforts to match his 29 goals and 19 assists in 28 games from the 2025 season. 

LM: Mateo Silvetti—At 20 years old and playing in his second season alongside Messi, Mateo Silvetti could have a chance at the Argentine World Cup squad should the relative youngster enjoy a strong start to the season. 

ST: Germán Berterame—It didn’t take long for Germán Berterame to hit the back of the net in preseason, doing so in just his second appearance in a clash with Barcelona SC from Ecuador. With 68 goals in 153 appearances with Monterrey, Miami’s newest Designated Player is an automatic contender for the MLS Golden Boot. 

Miami’s new signing provide some much-needed depth. | FotMob

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