The surprising FIFA Club World Cup stat that put Inter Miami on the map

Three months have already passed since the FIFA Club World Cup. Chelsea FC beat PSG in the final and lifted the first trophy of this new tournament.

However, all the looks from North America were set on Inter Miami, LAFC, and the Seattle Sounders. Despite the fans’ enthusiasm, the result didn’t match the expectations.

The Black and Gold and the Sounders didn’t qualify for the next round and were eliminated in the group stage. Nevertheless, that’s not the case for Inter Miami.

The Herons manage to qualify for the round of 16 against PSG. Although Inter Miami endured a crushing defeat, Las Garzas still managed to make headlines and surprise the world off the pitch.

Two Inter Miami games among the most-watched of the Club World Cup

The FIFA Club World Cup attracted an audience of over 2.7 million viewers.

Having Lionel Messi on your roster guarantees that a large number of people will watch your match. Inter Miami faced clubs from different continents, attracting international viewers, not just people following MLS or Leagues Cup.

The Herons witnessed firsthand what football is like outside the United States. They discovered how passionate the fans are and how prepared they must be, since in certain matches, the physical contact is much more aggressive.

That’s why the first match against the Egyptian team ended in a draw and in a boring game. However, the next two encounters were the missing cherry on the Club World Cup cake.

The second test for Inter Miami was FC Porto. Not the biggest club in Europe, but always prepared to pick up a good fight for the victory. Something unexpected happened against Porto.

Let's add context here. The squad that wins will qualify for the next round, so the tension was high. In Portugal, the match between the Herons and FC Porto was the second most-watched game, surpassed by the tournament’s final.

Meaning that Las Garzas stream travels all the way to Europe.

On the other hand, the last game of the group stage was between Inter Miami and Palmeiras. An encounter that ended 2-2. Just like in Portugal, this clash became the second most-watched game in Brazil.

Behind the Flamengo vs Bayern Munich. This put Inter Miami on the international map of the sport of football.

Achieving the distinction of being the second most-watched match in two different countries is a rare feat. Clearly, Lionel Messi's presence played a significant role in attracting such widespread attention.