Inter Miami came up short in the 2024 MLS Cup playoffs but still made history in the regular season thanks to its talented squad.
The Herons amassed 74 points from 34 regular season games to achieve the greatest regular season in MLS history, surpassing the 73 points set by New England Revolution in 2021. Miami's impressive points tally also saw them lift the 2024 Supporters' Shield, the second trophy in club history.
Miami's ex-Barcelona players in Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba more than played their parts to help Miami make history in 2024. Goalkeeper Drake Callender came up with several huge saves throughout the campaign while Leo Campana came off the bench to rescue Miami a handful of times.
There's one player in the Miami squad that was instrumental to the team's regular-season success that might not be as well-known as the rest of the players in the team: Yannick Bright.
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For starters, Miami drafted Bright 15th overall in the 2024 MLS SuperDraft from the University of New Hampshire. Bright signed a one-year contract through the 2024 MLS season with club option for 2025, 2026 and 2027, and it seems like it's a matter of when and not if for Miami to trigger his contract extension.
The 23-year-old quickly became a core part of head coach Gerardo 'Tata' Martino's midfield, starting in 14 of his 23 appearances in 2024. When the veteran Busquets was unavailable for selection or playing in the backline as a center back, Martino often called on Bright to play in the center of the midfield three.
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Now, Bright isn't quite reaching the heights of prime Busquets during his Barcelona days, but he does help sweep up loose balls in the middle of the park while keeping hold of the ball well when under pressure. Bright is usually one of the most energetic Miami players, zooming across the pitch up until the final whistle to put pressure on opponents to help win the ball back.
Bright also improved in reading the game and knowing when to step in to make interceptions and go in on challenges on opposing players. The Milan, Italy native proved his worth to the Miami squad in 2024 and he'll hope to continue to improve in 2025 and beyond.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Who is Inter Miami's Most Improved Player from 2024 MLS Season?.
