Enjoying life on and off the field, Kamal Miller has found a new home in South Florida.
The Canadian international defender has become a fixture in the Inter Miami CF backline since arriving in an April trade from CF Montreal. On Tuesday, he was rewarded with a contract extension through the 2026 MLS season, with an option for 2027.
"Since the trade, it's been great," the 26-year-old from Toronto said in an interview. "Everyone, top to bottom, has been amazing with me."
The move reunited him with his Florida-based girlfriend Sheridan Street, whom he met at Syracuse University where both played soccer.
On the pitch, Miller lines up with an all-star cast these days, playing alongside the likes of Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba.
The arrival of Messi, some three months after Miller, has drawn global attention to the MLS club.
"It was pretty surreal at the start," said Miller. "Obviously all of us here didn't know how to react or what to really expect. But every day, it just seems like it's getting easier and easier acclimating with all the attention and eyes on the team, especially worldwide.
"A lot of people say it's really tough to be around these guys but they're very chill. Just regular guys. They love the game just like me and they want to win at the end of the day. So it hasn't been too hard to adjust and it's been a good experience."
But Miller, who is pretty chill himself off the pitch, says the world-class talent around him means "you have to be ready and play up the level.
"That's been the part that's taken the longest adjusting to, just getting used to them and their quality and figuring out their spots and where they want the ball. But now it's been a couple of months. We've had plenty of games together … At the end of the day football speaks for itself and we all just want to win."
Miller says Messi is basically an average guy who just happens to be an amazing footballer.
"Everyone has such a hard time believing it," he said. "And I didn't believe it at first. I was wondering 'Is this an act? Is this just going to be for a few weeks while he's getting used to the team?' But genuinely he's such a great guy. (He) communicates with everyone on the team the same, the best as he can, of course, with the language barrier."
"At the end of the day (he's) just a normal guy," he added. "Very nice. Very polite. He might be a better person and a better teammate than he is a footballer, as crazy as that sounds."
Miller is also a fan of Miami co-owner David Beckham, whom he says is "very involved" with the club.
"It's been great. I've been surprised by how much he is around … Overall David is a very nice guy and give us a good motivation being around the team."
While Miami is still on the outside looking it when it comes to the MLS playoffs, it won the Leagues Cup and made the final of the U.S. Open Cup.
Going into Wednesday's game in Chicago, Miller had made 31 appearances for Miami across all competitions. He scored in Miami's 10-9 penalty shootout win over Nashville SC in the Leagues Cup final, shooting fourth after Messi, Busquets and Leonardo Campana.
Miami (9-15-6) faces crunch time now in league play. Going into play Wednesday, it sat four points and four places below the playoff line.
Before Wednesday, Messi had missed the last three Miami games due to an injury that coach Gerardo (Tata) Martino has described as a “scar that is in danger of opening up and becoming a more serious problem."
The 36-year-old Argentine star last played Sept. 20, exiting in the 37th minute of Miami's 4-0 win over visiting Toronto FC.
Not counting Wednesday, Miami has gone 0-1-2 in his absence since then, including a 2-1 loss to Houston in the U.S. Open Cup final.
"We know that every game we're entering into is pretty much a final," said Miller. "We've just been playing final after final for a while now."
Miller joined Miami in a deal that saw midfielder Bryce Duke and Costa Rican international forward Ariel Lassiter go the other way. Miami also picked up US$1.3 million in general allocation money.
Miller remains thankful to Montreal for helping facilitate the move to Florida — and the reunion with his partner.
"At the end of the day, both clubs got what they wanted," he said. "For my personal life, it got a lot better — and more stable as well."
In his fifth MLS season, the Canadian has usually started alongside Ukrainian international Sergii Kryvtsov in a back four or back three.
The adjustment to life in Inter Miami pink and black has been "pretty easy," says Miller.
"We have such a great team here. So many different ways to play," he explained. "Overall I feel comfortable in either (defensive) system."
Miller has won 38 caps for Canada and was part of John Herdman's roster at last year's World Cup in Qatar.
The defender was taken in the second round (27th overall) by Orlando City in the 2019 MLS SuperDraft. Austin FC then selected Miller in the 2020 expansion draft, flipping him to Montreal for up to $275,000 in general allocation money and a 2021 first-round draft pick (which turned out to be defender Frederik Kleemann, now with the USL Championship's Tampa Bay Rowdies).
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 4, 2023.
Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press
