Inter Miami's U-16s got the start they wanted at their own tournament, then ran into two of Europe's best academies.
The week so far
Sunday: Inter Miami 2, Independiente del Valle 1. The hosts opened Group C by beating the Ecuadorian club, one of the best development academies in South America.
Monday: Benfica 3, Inter Miami 0. Lionel Messi watched with his children and Inter Miami teammate Luis Suárez, a day before his own team's game. Benfica's Jesus Aquino scored in the 28th and 45th minutes, and José Fonseca added a third in the 58th.
Tuesday: Atlético Madrid 3, Inter Miami 0. Atlético finished unbeaten to win the group.
What's next
Third place sends Miami to the Copa Plata, the bracket for teams that didn't reach the quarterfinals, where they face Arsenal on Wednesday. Arsenal lost all three of their Group B games.
The bigger picture
This is why the Messi Cup matters for American players. A strong MLS NEXT season doesn't show how players handle Benfica's speed or Atlético's organization. This week did, and the gap was clear. Last year Inter Miami finished sixth. The Copa Plata is a chance to finish strong and give players like these more games against top competition.
