The midfielder took his frustrations public, putting a spotlight on himself and his place within the club
Benjamin Cremaschi, effectively, went all in. This was the decision, one that put everything on the table. The Inter Miami midfielder knew what could happen when he very publicly expressed his frustrations in an attempt to alter the course of his career, at least in the short term.
By saying that he was unhappy with his role, Cremaschi took a very public leap, hoping it could change things for the better.
What ensued was a public message from Miami coach Javier Mascherano, who effectively told Cremaschi to take his complaints from the media to the office. Several games have been played since and, while Cremaschi may just benefit from his public declaration in the short-term, there are obvious questions about how this will impact his long-term status with Inter Miami and, ultimately, development.
Just 20, Cremaschi is still one of the best young talents in American soccer. It's easy to forget he's so young because of how long he's been in the public eye. After several years in the spotlight as a Lionel Messi affiliate, Cremaschi's career has taken on a different path, one that, like Inter Miami as a whole, has largely been defined by the Argentinian icon.
The big question is what comes next. Miami, in general, have placed an emphasis on foreign signings in their push to bolster their squad for an MLS Cup run. Now, the club's most successful homegrown is seemingly unhappy.
Will Mascherano make changes to appease him, or will Cremaschi soon have to look elsewhere after going public in such a risky way?
Getty Images SportCremaschi's concerns
Cremaschi, even as a young player, has significant experience. He recently made his 100th appearance for Inter Miami. Only two players, Drake Callender and Robert Taylor, have more.
It's not the number of appearances that Cremaschi has been unhappy about. But rather his role within the games when he plays. Reduced to something of a utility man due to Miami's injury issues and congested schedule, Cremaschi revealed to the media last week that he was unhappy, that he wanted more.
“I’m frustrated, I want to play," Cremaschi said. "I think the most important thing for me is to be at a very high level, and to get there, I need minutes and experience. I’ve played very little in these recent games, and I don’t think it’s because of my level. I feel good and imagine it’s for other reasons, but I’m going to keep trying.
"Hopefully, in the next month and the coming weeks, I’ll get to play a bit more. Sometimes it happens, and you have to be strong to get through those moments."
Cremaschi's major concern, generally, was positional. A central midfielder by trade, the homegrown has largely been used to fill gaps. He's played as a wingback, a winger and as No. 10 in recent weeks as Mascherano has looked to navigate a tricky schedule due to fixture overload.
"I go to the games and I have no idea where I'm going to play," Cremaschi said.
That part, in particular, was the one that likely riled up Mascherano. It hinted at a lack of stability, preparation and organization, even if Cremaschi didn't mean it that way. The midfielder presumably meant that his role had become situational based on substitutions and game flows.
From the outside, though, it could be interpreted that he was implying Mascherano didn't have a plan.
Such perspectives are usually kept internal. They're brought up to team leadership or, more specifically, to the coach directly. By conveying his complaints to the media and putting Mascherano on the spot, Cremaschi forced the coach to respond, one way or the other. Mascherano did.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportMascherano fires back
Mascherano is no stranger to switching positions. He pointed to that fact when asked about Cremaschi's comments. During his time at Barcelona, Mascherano, too, was asked to play outside of his comfort zone, transitioning from a world-class defensive midfielder to a centerback role.
He understood why the coaching staff he worked under wanted that. He also asked Cremacshi to understand this now.
“The door to my office is always open for anyone who may be mad or doesn’t want to play a certain position to come tell me," he said. "I haven’t heard any complaints face-to-face. This is professional football. I decide where I think each player can give me their best.”
Last weekend against the LA Galaxy, Cremaschi got his wish. He started alongside Sergio Busquets in midfield, putting in a decent but unspectacular shift before Lionel Messi and the team's big names won it for the Herons late. Against Tigres in the Leagues Cup on Wednesday night, he was once again relegated to the bench and brought on as a second-half substitute for winger Telasco Segovia.
As Inter Miami enter another crucial stretch of their MLS season, Cremaschi's playing time is now an obvious story to watch. So, too, is his future after this season ends.
Getty ImagesNo room for sentimentality
Throughout the last few season, Inter Miami have shown that they won't sacrifice much of anything for sentimentality. Players who have meant something to the club have been jettisoned to facilitate new moves. The club is never standing still. Aside from Messi and the other top-end stars that have come to play alongside him, no one is particularly safe.
Callendar and Taylor, the club's aforementioned appearance leaders, departed this year after it became clear that they didn't have roles due to new signings. Ecuadorian Leo Campana, fresh off several decent seasons, was relegated to Luis Suarez's backup before being dealt to New England this past offseason.
Former captain DeAndre Yedlin was traded to balance the books while MLS stalwart Julian Gressel was let go after being mysteriously benched towards the end of last season. Turnover, of course, is natural, particularly at a high-pressure club like Miami.
None of the moves above were particularly wrong, as Miami believed each of them would make them better or give them resources to do so. It's all just to say that Miami are not a club that is particularly comfortable with standing pat, even with players that the club has an obvious connection to.
Few have that connection like Cremaschi, the club's local homegrown star who is now the its most-used active player. He's one of several homegrowns playing key roles for the club. Those contributors are vital for Miami as they spend big elsewhere. The club relies heavily on cheaper, younger, local talent to plug gaps in between high-priced European and South American stars.
Cremaschi, though, clearly doesn't want to be a gap plugger – he wants to be a pillar. The club has shown they believe he could be exactly that. That's why last fall they gave him a new contract through 2028.
“It feels good to sign this contract, knowing I’ll be staying at Inter Miami, it’s a huge accomplishment… I’m just happy to continue to represent this city,” Cremaschi said at the time. “Everything has helped me, from the academy, to Inter Miami CF II, to the first team. I’m obviously going to work hard on the field for myself and the people around me, for this city, to inspire more kids like me.”
That's one of Cremaschi's other ambitions, but his recent comments likely came with another in mind.
Getty Images SportLooking ahead
Cremaschi, like most players, will be looking at next summer's World Cup and wondering if he'll have a spot on the USMNT. He missed out on this summer's Gold Cup due to the Club World Cup, but performed well at this year's January camp.
With 2024 Olympic experience for the U.S. under his belt, Cremaschi will believe he's on the fringes of the USMNT. Mauricio Pochettino, whose playing career with Argentina ended right as Mascherano's began, will likely be keeping a close eye on him.
That's what makes all of this so time-sensitive. Most players at 20 would be relatively content where Cremaschi is. He regularly trains and plays with the some of the best in the world. He's carved out something of a regular role, albeit not the one he wants.
When it comes to his career, time is very much on his side, and there are worse ways to bide your time than by sitting under the wing of an eight-time Ballon d'Or winner.
Going back to that poker analogy, Cremaschi seemingly isn't content to check, effectively passing the decision onto the next seat. By going through the media to send a message, the midfielder raised the stakes.
Now, the pressure is on him to show why he did it, and how he can back it up. If he can do that, everyone wins, even if that path to get there was a bit more public and problematic than anyone would have wanted.
