The 18-year-old midfielder's rise has been rapid, and now his legendary team-mate could be a key figure in his international future
If you need any evidence to prove that things change quickly in this sport of ours, just look at Benjamin Cremaschi. There are few better examples of how unbelievably things can shift with a bunch of talent, a lot of hard work, a little bit of luck and, of course, the arrival of one GOAT.
Cremaschi, just 18 years old, entered this season as a potential star of the future. He'd carved out a path towards the first team with Inter Miami, establishing himself among the club's first wave of homegrown stars. And now, just a few months later, he finds himself playing next to his hero, Lionel Messi, as a key part of everything the Argentinian icon is doing to dazzle audiences in Florida.
Everyone involved with Inter Miami has seen their life change since Messi's arrival. Everything has gotten so much bigger and, more importantly, so much better. The club has been unstoppable since Messi, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets arrived, elevating the level and profile of everyone around them.
That includes Cremaschi, who is no longer that potential future star. No, Cremaschi is making waves in the here and now, combining with his new superstar team-mates on multiple occasions throughout Miami's recent run.
The world is now taking notice of that fact, and not just on social media, where his follower count has skyrocketed thanks to all of these new pictures alongside Messi. These days, Cremaschi finds himself in the middle of a potential international tug-of-war, with Messi and Argentina on one side and the United States men's national team on the other.
The USMNT have made the first move, calling in Cremaschi for their upcoming friendlies against Uzbekistan and Oman, but this battle, like the young midfielder's rise, is just getting started.
GettyThe rise
Born in Miami, Cremaschi is Inter Miami's first true homegrown star. He began playing soccer at the age of six and, at 14, moved to the Weston Academy, a program that also produced former USMNT and current Philadelphia Union midfielder Alejandro Bedoya. While there, Cremaschi helped Weston win the 2021 Under-16 MLS Next Cup, claiming the Golden Boot in the process.
In 2021, he signed with Miami, joining the club's youth program, but it didn't take him long to rise up the ranks. He debuted for Inter Miami II in the MLS Next Pro League in 2022, scoring five goals before signing his first professional contract in November.
Under now-former head coach Phil Neville, Cremaschi was handed his Inter Miami debut in February and, after a series of cameo appearances, earned his first start in April. In the months since, he hasn't looked back, becoming a regular at just 18 years old.
Advertisement(C)Getty imagesMessi arrives
Like just about everyone else at Inter Miami, Cremaschi's life changed completely this summer. It's what happens when the GOAT arrives.
An Argentinian himself, and thus a long-time Messi fan, Cremaschi was certainly star-struck when the man himself became his new team-mate ahead of the Leagues Cup this summer. However, since Messi's arrival, Cremaschi has proven more than capable of playing alongside the ex-Barcelona man, and has emerged as an even more vital player for Inter Miami under Gerardo 'Tata' Matino.
With Messi's long-time team-mate Busquets, playing as the No.6, Cremaschi's energy has been vital for Miami, with the youngster asked to do a lot of running to make up for Busquets and Messi's aging legs.
It's not just energy that Cremaschi brings, though, as the teenage midfielder has also played a part in plenty of goals. His ability to get into the final third, and contribute once there, has been key for a Miami team that has seen contributions come from all over the field since Messi has arrived.
Cremaschi scored a vital goal in the Leagues Cup, helping lead Miami's comeback against FC Dallas that was ultimately capped off by a Messi free-kick. It was the ex-Barcelona man that stole the show, but Miami wouldn't have made it that far if not for the work done by Cremaschi earlier in the half.
Additionally, Cremaschi has shown a cool head in big moments, scoring the decisive penalty against FC Cincinnati in the U.S. Open Cup semi-finals after proving to be such a key figure in the team's Leagues Cup run.
The teenager has also provided four assists since Messi's arrival, with none more dazzling than his combination with his long-time idol in the recent win over the New York Red Bulls. Surrounded in the box by opposing defenders, Messi picked out the type of pass that only he can see, finding Cremaschi on the right side. Likely stunned to have even received the ball, Cremaschi made no mistake once he did get it, teeing up a wide-open Messi to cap an absurd sequence.
Plenty of players have benefitted from Messi's arrival. Robert Taylor has become a goal machine, while Leonardo Campana and Josef Martinez have both found their scoring boots. But it could be argued that Cremaschi is benefitting the most from being taken under Messi's wing so far in Miami and, even in Messi's shadow, the spotlight on the teenager has grown brighter and brighter.
Getty'Living the dream'
None of this is being lost on Cremaschi, who understands exactly how absurd his life has become this summer.
His father was a professional rugby player, representing Argentina at international level. And, like all Argentinians his age, Cremaschi was raised on Messi highlights and a seemingly endless supply of Messi goals. Now, instead of watching those goals on YouTube, he's helping to create them. Cremaschi, even after 11 games, is still stunned by it all.
“Messi tries to help us young guys, to understand what they need," he recently told . "We just try to absorb everything that he says because obviously he is the best player in the world. We are living the dream here, I’m enjoying it. I know when I go out there I have to kill it, but I’m living a huge dream.
"Sometimes I sit down and think about the position that I'm in, and it's incredible. I never believed I would be in the spot like I am today, and I just know I have to keep working and work for more."
GettyInternational beginnings
Despite his tender years, Cremaschi currently finds himself in the middle of a tug-of-war, with Messi on one side and the USMNT on the other.
So far during his young career, Cremaschi has had opportunities with both Argentina and the U.S., featuring for both countries' youth teams. In 2022, the midfielder was part of the U.S. U20 squad that trained alongside the pre-World Cup team in October before heading to Qatar and, shortly after, he was called in to Argentina's U20s for November camp as the only non-domestic-based player to earn a call-up.
With his breakout over the last few months, the competition for Cremaschi's international allegiance has only gotten hotter. Rumors began swirling during the summer that he could earn himself a USMNT call-up, while the midfielder has said that Messi has spoken to him about the possibility of representing Argentina in the future.
“Not easy, but not thinking about it right now," he told in August. "I’ve been in contact with both federations and I know it’s a decision I eventually have to make, but there’s time. I’ve spoken about it with Messi, he has asked me and I love Argentina."
However, it's the USMNT that have given him the opportunity in the September window as Cremaschi, alongside Inter Miami team-mate Drake Callendar, has been called-up by Gregg Berhalter.