MIAMI – Fafa Picault is finally where he belongs: home.
The winger, signed by Inter Miami as a free agent after spending 2024 with the Vancouver Whitecaps, is the latest in a handful of shrewd offseason moves made by the Herons’ front office. Most would jump at the chance to play for this club, not least for the opportunity to line up alongside greats such as Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Sergio Busquets. But for Picault, who was born in the Upper West Side of New York and moved to Miami at nine, this means more.
“When you’re young, you don’t know how things are going to go, to go around so many countries, so many cities, and then come back here years later, and now call it my home again, as a professional, that was a surreal feeling,” Picault tells GOAL.
Picault knows his role these days. It has been the same for years now. His job is to be a live wire off the wing. He is supposed to provide, create, stretch defenses, and also provide valuable cover for the aging legs of Suarez and Messi. With Diego Gomez off to Brighton this window, and reinforcements needed, he seemed a smart bit of business on a low wage.
But this is, of course, no normal club. Miami lost in the first round of the 2024 playoffs, and will be expected to go much further this year. For Picault, that mentality isn’t a problem.
“I think that’s always the objective. And if they were to win it last year, I think the goal would have been to try to win it again. That’s what football is: always trying to win,” he says.
Picault is happy to be back in Florida. His parents are there, as are his cousins and best friends. There will be a Picault contingent at every game, he promised. And for the 33-year-old, who is playing for his third team in as many seasons, a familiar place to play the game he loves is all he could ask for.
“It’s going to be beautiful,” he said.
GOAL caught up with Picault at MLS Media Day to discuss his signing for Miami, interactions with Barcelona greats, and what it means to be back in Florida in the latest Wednesday Convo.
NOTE: This interview has been lightly edited for brevity and clarity.