Here's why Inter Miami shouldn't give up on Germán Berterame

Hoyos, Suárez help striker find form before World Cup break

Highly touted striker Germán Berterame has been a major disappointment at Inter Miami. The Herons paid Liga MX side Monterrey a $15 million transfer fee for the highly touted striker and, perhaps more importantly, gave him the team's last available designated player contract.

Berterame was a nonfactor in Las Garzas' two draws against Nashville SC in CONCACAF Champions Cup competition. The Coyotes advanced because of the away-goal tiebreaker; the Herons' elimination felt like the season's end because, immediately after winning the 2025 MLS Cup in December, managing owner Jorge Mas said the CONCACAF championship was Inter Miami's top priority in 2026. Berterame bore the brunt of fans' disappointment because, they believed he was signed specifically to help Miami become just the fourth Major League Soccer squad to win Champions Cup since 1962.

It didn't help that Berterame managed just 1 goal and 1 assist through his first nine MLS appearances while wasting multiple easy chances -- chances a $15-million-man should make. Many supporters and pundits want Berte sold or traded; in their eyes, he's a waste of money and a DP spot.

Me? I believe Berterame has been a new player since Guillermo Hoyos took over for Javier Mascherano, who resigned unexpectedly (with his whole coaching staff) in April. He's scored 6 goals and added 2 assists in his last six appearances, including 4 goals and an assist in Miami's last three matches before the World Cup break.

Berterame's improvement has come as he's become more comfortable beside Herons' icon/captain Lionel Messi and, perhaps ironically, after Hoyos returned Luis Suárez to the starting lineup. The wily veteran seems to have taken pressure off Berte and helped him synchronize his play with Messi's.

Scotty Grays, co-host of The Drive Pink Dialogue, broke it down on his X account:

There's more where that came from, but I didn't want to post the whole thread; check The Drive Pink Dialogue and Scotty's posts on X (he compiled a nice tribute package of Benjamin Cremaschi videos as a farewell to the homegrown former Heron on his signing with Italian side Parma).

But back to Berterame; confidence is critical for strikers, and the Mexican striker's confidence must be strong given his recent form. Motivation is another key ingredient for success, and Berterame should be motivated mightily by Mexico national coach Javier Aguirre leaving him off El Tri's final World Cup roster.

If Berterame can continue the goal-scoring pace he's found with Suárez (0.84 per 90 minutes), he could finish with a very respectable 23 goals. Add his tireless defensive work and Berte begins to look very much like a designated player.

Berterame may become a victim of the high expectations we had for him when he was signed, ironically, to replace Suárez.

"He's a talented player, but his signing will always be about the opportunity cost of what else (Inter Miami) could've gotten with that DP spot," Scotty told me in an X chat. That will be true for many Herons supporters.

But let's not allow what Berterame hasn't been distract us from what he might become. He's 27, just reaching the peak of his footballing career and trending in the right direction after joining a high-profile, high-pressure club.

Let's give him the rest of the season; I think he'll make it worth our while.

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