A former Premier League standout has unleashed a blistering critique of Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami, branding the MLS club a “disaster” and urging players to steer clear until the football legend moves on. Mateusz Klich, a 35-year-old Polish midfielder who shone at Leeds United under Marcelo Bielsa, didn’t hold back in his assessment of the Herons, even claiming that Messi’s father holds the reins of the club’s operations.
Klich, who played 195 matches for Leeds between 2017 and 2023, including 82 in the Premier League, spent time in the MLS with DC United and Atlanta United after leaving Yorkshire. His experience in the U.S. gave him a front-row seat to Inter Miami’s inner workings, and he’s not impressed with what he saw.
“I don’t recommend Miami as long as Messi is there,” Klich declared in an interview with Foot Truck. “It’s a disaster. People are leaving—coaches, physiotherapists. Organisationally, it’s bad. Messi’s father essentially runs the club. Everyone speaks Spanish, and nothing can be done without their consent. The club itself is also 45 to 50 minutes away from Miami.”
Messi, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner and World Cup champion, joined Inter Miami in 2023 after a glittering career with Barcelona and a two-year stint at Paris Saint-Germain. The move to David Beckham’s franchise, founded in 2018, was seen as a coup for the MLS, with Messi delivering staggering numbers: 64 goals and 31 assists in 76 appearances. Yet, according to Klich, the club’s off-field chaos overshadows its on-field success.
Klich has faced Inter Miami three times in his MLS career, including a single matchup against Messi himself in May 2024. His grievances, however, seem rooted in the club’s structure and environment rather than personal encounters with the Argentine icon.
Instead of Inter Miami, Klich pointed players toward other MLS destinations. “I would recommend New York,” he said. “Red Bull has a better stadium now, and City is building a great one. Clubs like Columbus Crew and Cincinnati have fantastic stadiums and facilities, but life there can be very boring. Nashville is a beautiful place, the capital of country music, and a great option if you get the chance to join Nashville SC. Portland and Seattle have amazing atmospheres, but they feel like the end of the world.”
Klich’s remarks paint a stark picture of a club struggling to balance its superstar allure with organizational stability. As Messi continues to dazzle on the pitch, Klich’s warning raises questions about the behind-the-scenes dynamics at Inter Miami—and whether the club can live up to its lofty ambitions.