Inter Miami signs 17-year-old Key Biscayne native Benjamin Cremaschi to three-year deal

Inter Miami announced on Monday the signing of a new player with Argentine roots, but it is not Lionel Messi, whose rumored move to the club picked up steam again over the weekend.

The talks with the Argentine legend are ongoing but he has said he will not address his future until after the World Cup and he remains under contract with Paris Saint-Germain until June 2023.

In the meantime, Inter Miami is busy building its 2023 roster, and the first addition is 17-year-old Key Biscayne native Benjamin Cremaschi, an Argentine American who has risen through the ranks from the club’s youth academy.

Cremaschi signed a three-year contract through the 2025 MLS season with options for 2026 and 2027. Cremaschi told the Herald that he was so excited and nervous to sign his first pro contract that he practiced his signature on four sheets of paper before perfecting it.

The young midfielder said it was “a dream come true” to sign with his local MLS club and he looks forward to joining the senior team after spending the past year and a half with the youth team and pro second team.

“I still have to improve a lot of things and I have to play quicker because they’re bigger and faster,” he said. “I have to get used to the speed and tempo. All the coaches at this club have helped me a lot to be the best I can be, and I will keep learning.”

Team officials have been impressed with Cremaschi since he joined the U17 team in August 2021.

“Benjamin is a really exciting young talent that we believe in. He’s a young midfielder who has improved so much in such a short period of time and we’re very excited to continue to help his development now with the first team,” said Inter Miami chief soccer officer and sporting director Chris Henderson. “This is another positive step for our development pathway as we look to continue to find and develop the best young players in South Florida.”

Cremaschi comes from an athletic family. His father played rugby for the Argentine national team. His mother and sister played field hockey. His two brothers play soccer. Prior to joining Inter Miami, Cremaschi played for Key Biscayne Soccer Club and Weston FC.

He helped guide Inter Miami’s U17 team to the GA Cup semifinal and was named an MLS NEXT All-Star. In the All-Star game, Cremaschi scored an equalizing goal en route to a victory for the East.

He also excelled at the MLS NEXT Pro level with Inter Miami II. He scored five goals and had one assist in 13 appearances, eight of them starts.

“He’s a box-to-box midfielder, covers one end of the field to the other and does it relentlessly,” said Inter Miami Academy Director Craig Dalrymple. “His engine is very, very big. He runs at high speed a lot, which is a rare quality. He never takes a second off. He is also a very selfless player and understands his role.”

Cremaschi has had several call-ups to the U.S. U19 Men’s Youth National Team, and most recently, the U.S. U20 MYNT. He played at the Slovenia Nations Cup with the U19s, where he helped the team clinch the title, including starting and scoring two goals in a win over Croatia.

He was invited to the U20 MYNT for a week-long training camp in Frisco, Texas, where the squad trained alongside the senior U.S. team as it made its final preparations for the World Cup. Cremaschi is also eligible to represent Argentina and said he will keep his options open.