It’s just over a month until Lionel Messi‘s Inter Miami kick off the FIFA’s shiny new expanded Club World Cup, but on current form they look a million miles off challenging world football’s best and brightest.

Pressure is growing on Messi’s old pal Javier Mascherano, who has just overseen Inter Miami’s worst defeat of the Messi era.

Messi scored to end a rare four-match goalless streak in Saturday’s clash with Minnesota United, but it was a mere consolation in a humbling 4-1 loss.

Before kick-off, Minnesota United’s fans unfurled a banner that read: ‘History Over Hype, Culture Over Cash’.

And the message was vindicated by the chasm between the two teams on the day.

But it’s only recently that Inter Miami have begun to resemble the worst excesses of Galacticos-era Real Madrid, a dysfunctional vanity project that struggles to get their superstar cogs clicking.

Last season they were the best team in the regular MLS season, winning the Supporters’ Shield after providing a solid foundation for their eight-time Ballon d’Or winner to make a match-winning difference.

A record of 44 goals and 21 assists from just 54 appearances is testament not only to Messi’s quality, but his team’s ability to get him firing.

Mascherano himself has admitted that Inter Miami have been dependent on their biggest star.

“Teams have been dependent on Messi,” the Miami boss told reporters earlier this month.

“[Pep] Guardiola’s Barcelona was dependent for years, Luis Enrique’s Barcelona, Valverde’s Barcelona, and the Argentina national team for 15 or 20 years.

“In other words, when you have a player like Messi, you’re clearly going to develop a dependency on him. It’s impossible not to depend on him.

“It’s clear that there are days when the team perhaps helps him more and other days when it helps him less.”

Messi’s latest goal almost looked too easy as he once again combined with his old Barcelona team-mate Jordi Alba. But we’ve seen less and less of that in recent weeks.

“I was in the stadium for Inter Miami vs NYRB and Messi’s frustration with his teammates was evident,” noted ESPN pundit Hercules Gomez.

“Things are quickly coming to a head.

“If (Messi) gives it to one of Messi’s friends — (Jordi) Alba, (Sergio) Busquets, Luis Suarez — he knows there’s the capacity to return that play to him.

“There’s a little more purpose and effort to the run. A lot of times when he gives it to another player, he waits. Because he knows, that’s probably not going to get there… You can see Messi frustrated.”

Inter Miami recently lost in the semi-finals of the CONCACAF Champions Cup home and away – 5-1 on aggregate – to a Vancouver Whitecaps side that finished a distant midtable in last season’s MLS Western Conference standings.

It’s North America’s equivalent to the Champions League and one of the few pieces of silverware that eludes Messi. Elimination in such an emphatic manner must have stung.

Domestic matters aren’t going a whole lot better. After a promising start to the season, they’ve fallen to fourth in the Eastern Conference table after winning just two of their last six MLS outings.

“Leo is a competitive beast – it’s normal,” Mascherano told the media following the latest defeat.

“Those of us who’ve known him for a long time understand how demanding he is, not only with himself but also with those around him.”

It’s still relatively early days in the 2025 campaign and there’s every chance that Miami can turn things around and end up lifting the MLS Cup come December. It’s clear, though, that work needs to be done – and reinforcements may be required.

“I think we need to focus on bringing in someone who truly strengthens us as a team. And yes, I’m exploring options,” Mascherano said.

“Well, to be more precise, the club is evaluating options – especially in the attacking front.”

Inter Miami begin the Club World Cup with a relatively forgiving fixture against Egyptian outfit Al Ahly FC. Brazilian giants Palmeiras and Portuguese side Porto make up the four-team group, from which they can harbour realistic ambitions of getting through to set up a glamour tie in the knockout stages.

But things aren’t clicking for Miami right now and the nature of their latest MLS defeat raises serious questions over whether Mascherano can avoid humiliation on the biggest stage of all.