Inter Miami will have a tremendous debut as the reigning Major League Soccer (MLS) champions against LAFC at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum this Saturday, starting at 8:30 PM Pacific Time/9:30 PM Eastern Time (10:30 PM Central Time).

The match can be watched live in the United States via the Apple TV and DAZN streaming platforms, making it a highly anticipated game that will mark a great start to the 2026 MLS season:

A clash of true giants of American soccer, where the two biggest stars of both teams, South Korean Son Heung-min for the Black & Gold and Argentine Lionel Messi for the Herons, will star in a match that could gauge how the current MLS season will be played.

This is not just another game, but the A clash between two squads designed to fight for the North American soccer title will be the presence of Mexican German Berterame, Inter Miami's recent Designated Player signing, who will reinforce the attack of the team managed by Argentine Javier Mascherano. Meanwhile, for LAFC, it will be the debut of American coach Marc Dos Santos, who was promoted from the Los Angeles club's youth academy to the first team to fill the void left by his compatriot Steve Cherundolo, who resigned from the Californian organization for family reasons. Dos Santos will look to build a competitive squad. The Black and Gold will try to shift the atmosphere from BMO Stadium to the Coliseum, a venue chosen due to the huge draw generated by the mere presence of global superstar Lionel Messi, who will lead Inter Miami with the aim of defending their league title and starting to build a true dynasty this season.

The match will not be a simple dispute over three points, but a matter of pride, The Black & Gold will be looking to take on the champions and prove they're capable of great things,while the Herons will want to make a statement and show that their rivals will struggle to obtain results against them. LAFC with an explosive duo: Son and Denis Bouanga will be looking to demonstrate why they are considered one of the most explosive duos in the league and will be key to achieving the highest aspirations in the 2026 championship. The South Korean star, signed last summer from Tottenham Hotspur for a league-record fee, made his impact clear by scoring 12 goals and providing four assists in just 13 games, including the 2025 Goal of the Year and a memorable free-kick goal in the playoffs. Bouanga, meanwhile, arrives as the team's leading scorer in 2025 with 24 goals, in addition to being the club's all-time leading scorer with 101 goals. LAFC's attack features two of the league's best young Latin American prospects: Venezuelan David Martinez and Salvadoran Nathan Ordaz. In midfield, newcomer Stephen Eustaquio will provide control and transition after arriving from FC Porto, while in goal, Hugo Lloris, a 2018 World Cup winner, remains the last line of defense for an LAFC team looking to start strong from the outset. The Los Angeles team is coming off a 6-1 thrashing of Real Espana in San Pedro Sula in the first match of the Concacaf Champions Cup. Their lineup for their MLS debut shouldn't change much from what was seen on Tuesday.

Inter Miami and the complicated task of retaining the title

Winning the title in a tournament is so complicated that it requires all the pieces to mesh perfectly. For that reason, for Inter Miami to aspire to defend their title, they will require a double effort in 2026. Messi remains the leader of the project on the field, but many factors will come into play, primarily the Argentine's state of mind after the World Cup. If he performs well, he will undoubtedly be the driving force behind the Herons' success. Otherwise, it will be more difficult for Messi to lead Inter Miami to a second consecutive championship and also to win a third consecutive MVP award and a second Golden Boot, after winning it in 2025 with 29 goals and 19 assists. Rodrigo De Paul will continue as his supporting player, now a permanent signing after arriving last year on loan from Atletico de Madrid. He had a great performance, culminating in the decisive goal in the last final, and is now facing his first full season in Miami.

The squad also adds impactful reinforcements such as German Berterame, Following a multi-million dollar transfer of the Mexican national team striker from CF Monterrey, and the addition of Dayne St. Clair, the reigning MLS Goalkeeper of the Year who hopes to be at the World Cup with Canada, and the return of Tadeo Allende after a historic postseason that solidified his importance in the decisive, Miami now faces a new stage.With Miami Freedom Park on the horizon and the goal of competing for the Concacaf Champions Cup and repeating as MLS Cup winners, Miami begins a new chapter without the now-retired Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, but with undiminished ambition. Berterame received his visa and is eligible to debut with 'Las Garzas' in MLS, while Reguilon recovers from a preseason knee injury, and Messi has been recovering from discomfort following the friendly match played in Guayaquil against Barcelona SC.

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