{"id":160608,"date":"2026-02-19T01:04:28","date_gmt":"2026-02-19T01:04:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/160608\/"},"modified":"2026-02-19T01:04:28","modified_gmt":"2026-02-19T01:04:28","slug":"lafc-vs-inter-miami-everything-to-know-for-walmart-saturday-showdown","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/160608\/","title":{"rendered":"LAFC vs. Inter Miami: Everything to know for Walmart Saturday Showdown"},"content":{"rendered":"

A blockbuster match awaits in the 2026 MLS season\u2019s first Walmart Saturday Showdown, as LAFC<\/a> host reigning league champions Inter Miami CF<\/a> at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.<\/p>\n

Preseason predictions<\/a> have LAFC firmly among the 2026 season favorites, and understandably so.<\/p>\n

The Black & Gold enter their first full season with Son Heung-Min<\/a>, who arrived from Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur last summer for a league-record fee (reportedly upwards of $27 million). The South Korean superstar proved electric with 12g\/4a in 13 games, including the 2025 AT&T MLS Goal of the Year<\/a> and an epic free kick<\/a> in the Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs.<\/p>\n

Son also developed a dominant partnership with Denis Bouanga<\/a>, who’s coming off a third straight Best XI season. The Gabon international was LAFC’s leading scorer in 2025 with 24 goals, placing second in the Golden Boot presented by Audi race.<\/p>\n

As that dynamic duo flourishes, Marc Dos Santos<\/a> now serves as LAFC head coach. Dos Santos took over from the outgoing Steve Cherundolo; he was an assistant on Cherundolo’s staff.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Son Heung-Min: LAFC made waves last summer by adding Son, a global soccer icon who is readying for a fourth FIFA World Cup<\/a>. He is a 10-time winner of the Best Footballer in Asia award.
\nDenis Bouanga: Bouanga is the only player in MLS history to record three straight seasons with at least 20 goals. He became LAFC’s all-time leading scorer last year, surpassing club icon Carlos Vela with 101 goals.
\nStephen Eust\u00e1quio: The Canadian international joined the Black & Gold after spending the last four-plus seasons with Portuguese powerhouse FC Porto. Eust\u00e1quio<\/a> will play a key role in LAFC’s midfield and is in line to feature at the 2026 World Cup.
\nHugo Lloris: The French legend and 2018 World Cup-winning goalkeeper has made nearly 100 appearances for LAFC since joining in 2024 from Tottenham.<\/p>\n

LAFC are coming off a comprehensive win midweek in the Concacaf Champions Cup<\/a>, earning a 6-1 victory<\/a> at Honduran side Real Espa\u00f1a. They’ll likely run it back (more or less).<\/p>\n

Could the 2025 MLS Cup presented by Audi champions be even better in 2026?\u00a0<\/p>\n

There\u2019s an argument to be made after their eye-popping winter transfer window, having added Mexican striker Germ\u00e1n Berterame<\/a>, Canadian goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair<\/a>, Spanish left back Sergio Reguil\u00f3n<\/a> and more to build off last year\u2019s title capture.<\/p>\n

The Herons are navigating life without midfielder Sergio Busquets<\/a> and defender Jordi Alba<\/a>, both of whom retired<\/a> after the Herons lifted the Philip F. Anschutz Trophy with a 3-1 win<\/a> over Vancouver Whitecaps FC<\/a> on Dec. 6.<\/p>\n

But with all their additions, highlighted by Berterame joining Lionel Messi<\/a> and Rodrigo De Paul<\/a> as Designated Players, expectations are lofty for MLS\u2019s highest-profile team.<\/p>\n

Lionel Messi: Last season, Messi became the first back-to-back Landon Donovan MLS MVP<\/a> and won the Golden Boot<\/a>. He tallied 29g\/19a in the regular season, then set a single postseason record with 15 goal contributions (6g\/9a).
\nRodrigo De Paul: The 2022 World Cup champion was fully acquired in the winter after spending a half-season on loan with Miami from Atl\u00e9tico Madrid. Memorably, De Paul scored the game-winning goal in MLS Cup 2025.
\nGerm\u00e1n Berterame: Berterame joined Miami on a reported $15 million transfer this winter, arriving from LIGA MX side CF Monterrey. The Argentine-born striker will look to represent Mexico at the 2026 World Cup.\u00a0
\nDayne St. Clair: After being named the 2025 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year<\/a>, St. Clair departed Minnesota United FC<\/a> and signed with Miami in free agency. The Canadian international brings seven years of MLS experience.<\/p>\n

Berterame recently received his visa and is eligible to start. Meanwhile, Noah Allen<\/a> slots into the left-back role after Reguil\u00f3n suffered a knee sprain<\/a> in preseason.<\/p>\n

One to watch: Messi is rehabbing a hamstring strain, though he has returned to training<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The stars will be shining on Matchday 1, none more so than Messi and Son. The league’s two most high-profile players, and perhaps preseason MVP favorites, will face off for the first time in MLS action.<\/p>\n

Both superstars have proved they can show up clutch for their clubs. Whichever legend has the better game could determine which side takes all three points on opening weekend.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A blockbuster match awaits in the 2026 MLS season\u2019s first Walmart Saturday Showdown, as LAFC host reigning league…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":160609,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[5429,43215,43214,123,125,124,75441,76891,76890,4959],"class_list":{"0":"post-160608","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-miami","8":"tag-inter-miami-cf","9":"tag-lafcvsmia-02-21-2026","10":"tag-los-angeles-football-club","11":"tag-miami","12":"tag-miami-headlines","13":"tag-miami-news","14":"tag-mls-is-back","15":"tag-priority-match","16":"tag-saturday-showdown","17":"tag-sendtonews"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/160608","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=160608"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/160608\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/160609"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=160608"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=160608"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=160608"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}