By Official Florida FC
Inter Miami signed Blaise Matuidi revitalize its midfield.
The news was first reported by the Miami Herald and later confirmed by the club.
Matuidi is an seven-time league champion who started the most recent European Championship final and World Cup final. He may be 33 now; but, the Frenchman will add energy, dynamism and class into a Herons midfield that started Wil Trapp and Victor Ulloa.
“Blaise is one of the most successful midfielders of his generation and we’re thrilled to have him at Inter Miami,” said Paul McDonough, Inter Miami’s COO & Sporting Director in a statement on the team’s website. “His world-class quality and leadership will be key attributes for the Club.”
The 33-year-old made 45 appearances for Juventus during the 2019-20 season. He was a starter for Les Blues as recently as October.
Matuidi heads to South Florida on a Targeted Allocation Money contract. That means the Herons still have a third Designated Player spot available.
Matuidi is the 12th World Cup winner to play in Major League Soccer. He is just the third to join the league after winning the most recent World Cup.
Bastian Schweinsteiger spent most of his career as a midfielder; but, spent large portions of his three seasons with the Chicago Fire in central defense when he arrived in 2015. Nevertheless, he scored eight goals and provided 15 assists in 85 games.
Two decades before Schweinsteiger lifted the World Cup, Branco won a world championship. The Brazilian fullback signed with the New York/New Jersey MetroStarts in 1997 and produced the same number of red cards (three) as combined goals (one) and assists (two).
Current Juventus manager Andrea Pirlo, current Montreal Impact manager Thierry Henry as well as former MLS MVP David Villa are among the former World Cup winners to play in Major League Soccer. Orlando City’s first MLS goal was scored by 2002 World Cup winner, and 2007 Ballon d’Or winner, Kaka.
Matuidi is not a goal-scorer like Henry, Villa or Kaka. But, if he can alleviate the creative impact on Designated Players Rodolfo Pizarro and Matías Pellegrini, Inter Miami’s ponderous attack may come to life.
[…] Pizarro has three goals and an assist in 482 MLS minutes. As creative as the Mexican international has been, he may become even more productive once World Cup winner Blaise Matuidi finishes his transcontinental transfer and joins Inter Miami’s… […]
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[…] Blaise Matuidi scored his first MLS goal, but it wasn’t enough for Inter Miami (6-13-3, 21 points, 0.95 points per game). […]