Inter Miami have been nothing short of outstanding this year, yet the Herons have been more than just the Lionel Messi team.
The Florida franchise have been the best side in MLS by a country mile with Inter Miami already through to the post-season play-offs with Tata Martino’s side already having one hand on the Supporters’ Shield trophy.
WIth Messi playing just 12 MLS games this season, Inter Miami have powered through the year without their star player, though the Argentine is expected to return at last this weekend from an ankle injury.
And Kieran Gibbs has named the two Inter Miami players who deserve more credit this season.
Gibbs names Drake Callender and Julian Gressel as Inter Miami’s unsung heroes
Speaking on the Inter Miami Weekly Show, the former defender hailed Drake Callender and Julian Gressel as two of the Herons’ most underrated players this season, with the duo ever-present for Martino in the starting XI.
Callender and Gressel have been two of the most consistent figures in Inter Miami’s squad this season, and Gibbs believes the pair will be key in the push for MLS Cup, with the pundit saying: “They’ve been ever-present, they’ve performed at such a high level for so long.
“Gressel, in particular, his final ball has been probably Miami’s biggest weapon I would say this season, he’s going to be crucial for the run-in, especially with his experience of winning MLS Cup before.
“And then you have Drake, who’s been so consistent, he’s been a powerhouse back there and he’s really set the foundation for Miami defensively, and he could be up there as another Player of the Season for me.”
Herons would not be where they are now without their supporting cast
Inter Miami’s squad might be filled with superstars the likes of which MLS has never seen before, but it’s the likes of Callender and Gressel that have made the Herons as good as they are this year.
The backroom staff nailed it when it came to bringing in players for Martino to build a squad around the likes of Messi, Luis Suarez and Sergio Busquets, with Callender and Gressel now arguably as important as Inter Miami’s superstar names.
And heading into the play-offs, the duo will be huge in Inter Miami’s quest to win MLS Cup, with a domestic double on the table for the Herons if everyone can stay fir for the remainder of the season.