The Three Biggest Storylines Of Inter Miami’s Season So Far.

Inter Miami is in the playoff hunt.

With a rocky start to the 2022 campaign, many believed that the South Florida club would be wooden spoon material. However, Phil Neville and his squad took that to heart and used the doubt as motivation. Now, they find themselves only a point away from the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

As The Herons head into the halfway point of the season, they’ll look to continue this good run of form in the hopes of making the playoffs.

All that said, let’s look back at some of the season’s biggest storylines of Inter Miami’s season so far.

Higuain’s New Role and the Rise of Campana

Gonzalo Higuain was brought to Inter Miami in the fall of 2020 with high expectations. Coming from a club like Juventus, the Argentinian arrived in South Florida to be the face of the club. For a period of time, he was.

Gonzalo Higuain is now in Miami to sign his contract as new @InterMiamiCF player. Deal confirmed – he’s gonna leave Juventus for free. The owner @Jorge__Mas with him today. 🛬🇺🇸 #InterMiami #Juve #MLS #Higuain pic.twitter.com/x6CRIvVAiN

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) September 11, 2020

In his first season with The Herons, the then 32-year-old only scored one goal and had two assists in his first nine matches for the team.  Though he underperformed, his physical presence in and around the club made Inter Miami a major talking point for the media both domestically and internationally.

After taking an offseason to get adjusted to the physicality of the league, the former Argentina international exploded in 2021. He carried the team with 12 goals and seven assists on the season.

Fast forward to 2022 and the hope that he could top his 2021 form has come to a halt.

Injuries have hampered the 34-year-old and he’s been relegated to the bench, getting sporadic starts as he returns to full fitness.

In his place has been Ecuadorian international Leonardo Campana.

“Necesitaba un equipo donde me den minutos, donde pueda demostrar de que estoy hecho.”

Leo Campana on being on the right path with the club. pic.twitter.com/PeHKC5F8Fy

— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) May 29, 2022

Since being penciled into the lineup, the 21-year-old has been lights out.

His seven goals in all competitions have been a breath of fresh air in a position that The Herons have struggled with in 2022. The Ecuadorian’s stature, work rate, and silky first touch have been key to Inter Miami’s turnaround. His chemistry with his teammates and ability to play off them seamlessly has given Miami’s attack much more fluidity in the final third.

As the 2023 season begins to creep up, the big question will be: will IMCF be able to keep Campana?

Reading the fine print, there is an option to purchase the 21-year-old at the end of the season.

🇪🇨 For those wondering if Inter Miami have the opportunity to keep Leonardo Campana for a longer period…. the 21-year-old's loan deal DOES include an option to buy. 👇🏽👇🏽#InterMiamiCF https://t.co/wXeGj1wTgP pic.twitter.com/slk69Kakfs

— Alex Windley (@aaw_1998) April 17, 2022

Surely, Inter Miami’s Sporting Director Chris Henderson will have a firm eye on this.

Drake Callender, GK1?

Drake Callendar has a rough start to 2022. After a few blunders in pre-season that subsequently saw him fall out of favor, the California native rebounded better than ever.

Since taking the spot between the sticks for Miami’s US Open Cup match against Miami FC, Callendar has been a force to be reckoned with.

82' | Drake Callender comes up big with a save.#MIAvPOR | 2-1 pic.twitter.com/XgbJXWTWWD

— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) May 29, 2022

His 33.3% clean sheet percentage puts him in the 80th percentile of all MLS goalkeepers. For perspective, he’s only three percent below highly touted wonder kid Gabriel Slonina.

As the team gets deeper into the season, having Callendar continue this run of form will huge if The Herons want to push for the playoffs.

The Emergence of Bryce Duke

Though Miami is a town where glitz and glamor reign, David Beckham and Chris Henderson wanted one non-negotiable as the South Florida club went into rebuilding mode: trust the youth.

There’s no other player that exemplifies this new mindset better than Bryce Duke.

👱⚽️ I asked Phil Neville after the Red Bulls game what he thought about Duke and his performance.

"He's going to be a really good player for us."

Here's his full answer below: #InterMiamiCF https://t.co/HjgPrjWI8u pic.twitter.com/VDycpOYx0B

— Alex Windley (@aaw_1998) May 24, 2022

Duke’s emergence as one of the key figures in Miami’s midfield comes as no surprise if you watch his game. He’s smart, offensive-minded, and has the stamina to press when needed.

The 21-year-old’s 4.21 shot-creating actions per 90 put him in the 83rd percentile of attacking midfielders in MLS. His progressive passes are even better as he racks up 5.77 a game which, once again, puts his numbers amongst the upper echelon of ‘number 10’s’ within the league.

His tenacity and desire to get forward is one of the reasons Miami’s offense has more bite. Check out this nicely timed through ball to Ariel Lassiter that nearly ends up as another Campana goal:

32' | Another chance on goal by Campana. 😳#MIAvPOR | 1-0 pic.twitter.com/IMjKryyjEW

— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) May 29, 2022

As Inter Miami continues to get younger as the 2023 season gets closer, expect Duke to be a central player as the club moves forward.

The season is still young, but there were plenty of intriguing headlines to takeaway in the first 15 weeks of the season.