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Inter Miami Still Searching for Answers as Kily González Era Begins

 

MIAMI — Inter Miami CF entered the 2026 season with expectations that come with being the reigning MLS Cup champions and having Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez, Rodrigo De Paul and Casemiro on the roster.

But as the regular season enters its final stretch, the Herons find themselves searching for consistency.

After a difficult run of MLS results and an early exit from the Leagues Cup, Inter Miami turned to former Argentina international Cristian “Kily” González in an effort to change the direction of the season. González officially took over in September after Guillermo Hoyos served as interim head coach following Javier Mascherano's departure.

A Season That Has Lost Momentum

Miami's struggles became increasingly difficult to ignore following the MLS break.

The Herons went through a five-match winless stretch across competitions before ending that run with a historic 7-1 victory over CF Montréal on August 29. Before that result, Miami had gone through a stretch that included a 4-1 loss to Nashville SC and elimination from the Leagues Cup.

Despite the inconsistent form, Miami remains in the Eastern Conference playoff picture. The club entered the González era near the top of the conference, but had fallen well behind Nashville in the Supporters' Shield race.

For a club built around winning trophies, simply reaching the postseason isn't the only objective.

The expectation is to compete for championships.

Enter Kily González

González arrived with a unique connection to several members of Miami's squad.

The 52-year-old Argentine played 56 times for his country and spent portions of his playing career with clubs including Inter Milan, Valencia and Rosario Central. His coaching career has primarily taken place in Argentina, with previous stops at Rosario Central, Unión and Platense.

His connection with Messi is particularly notable.

The two were teammates with Argentina and come from the same city of Rosario. González has also spoken openly about his admiration for Messi and the importance of coaching a player of his stature.

But familiarity alone won't solve Miami's problems.

González inherits a team with enormous expectations and very little margin for error.

A Trophy Arrives Immediately

González didn't have the luxury of a long transition period.

His first competitive match came against Cruz Azul in the Campeones Cup, giving the new manager an opportunity to immediately compete for silverware.

Miami responded by winning the trophy 2-0, giving González a championship in his first match in charge. The victory also marked Messi's 100th goal for Inter Miami.

The result provided an immediate boost, but the bigger test would come in MLS.

MLS Frustration Continues

González's first MLS match came Sunday against San Diego FC.

Miami took the lead twice, but ultimately settled for a 2-2 draw, with San Diego's Anders Dreyer scoring his second goal of the match to equalize late. Messi scored from a free kick, while Luis Suárez put Miami ahead in the second half.

The result continued a troubling MLS trend for Miami: the Herons have struggled to turn promising performances into victories.

The draw also means González's first two competitive matches as Miami's manager have produced a trophy and a draw. The early results are encouraging in one respect, but the club still needs to start collecting three points consistently in league play.

What Comes Next?

The González era is still in its infancy, making it difficult to draw definitive conclusions.

What is clear is that Miami has a talented roster, significant experience and players capable of changing games. The challenge will be creating enough consistency to translate that talent into results over the final stretch of the MLS season.

Defensively, Miami will need to become more reliable. The team had gone 11 matches without a clean sheet before shutting out Cruz Azul in the Campeones Cup.

Offensively, the pieces remain obvious. Messi continues to provide game-changing moments, while Suárez, De Paul and Casemiro give González an experienced core around which to build.

Now the question is whether González can establish a system that consistently brings those pieces together.

The Kily Era Has Begun

There is already one trophy in the cabinet.

But the real measuring stick for González will be MLS.

Inter Miami's next league match comes September 27 against the Columbus Crew.

The Herons still have time to turn their season around, but the margin for dropped points is shrinking.

For González, the message from Miami is straightforward: the roster is built to compete for trophies, and the remaining MLS schedule will provide the first extended look at what his version of Inter Miami can become.

 

 

 

 

 

Written by: Daniel Torres