Aime Mabika, George Acosta took wildly different roads to land Inter Miami contracts
George Acosta grew up in Pembroke Pines, just a few miles from Inter Miami’s training facility. Aime Mabika was born in Zambia, more than 7,700 miles away from the soccer club.
The two players took divergent paths to chase their soccer dreams, but they landed in the same place. On Thursday both were named to Inter Miami’s first team.
Acosta, a 21-year-old midfielder who spent more than a year rehabbing after reconstructive knee surgery, was signed to a contract running through 2022 with an option for 2023. Mabika, a 6-6 defender drafted last year from the University of Kentucky, signed a contract through 2023 with options for 2024 and 2025.
The pair joins after spending the 2021 season with the club’s Fort Lauderdale USL team. Mabika was called up for two games with Inter Miami last season when the roster was depleted.
“It’s a dream come true,” said Acosta, who got his start with local youth clubs Miramar, West Pines and Weston before spending a few years with academy teams in Argentina. “It’s been a long road coming back from the injury. At first it was very frustrating, but I always felt I’d make a comeback. I proved to myself that I can come back from anything.”
For Mabika, playing for Inter Miami is the culmination of a journey that began in Zambia, where he was born to Congolese parents. Seeking a better life for their four children, Francis and Eugenie Mabika moved to Lexington, Kentucky, when Aime was eight years old.
Although the family continued to speak Swahili, eat African cuisine and follow soccer, Aime adapted quickly to American life. In addition to playing soccer, he picked up basketball, which is like a religion in Lexington. He grew five inches the summer before 10th grade, and everyone assumed he would pick basketball. But soccer remained his first love.
He went on to star at the University of Kentucky, where he was often mistaken for a basketball player on campus.
“All the athletes get the same gear and backpacks with our numbers, so students would take pictures of me in class, assuming I was a basketball player,” Mabika said. “Basketball is still my second-favorite sport.”
Mabika impressed Inter Miami coaches and executives during the pre-draft Zoom conference calls in early 2021. Phil Neville noted that Mabika wore a dress shirt and tie for the interview.
“This is a job I take very seriously, so I approached that call like a job interview and I wanted to look respectable,” Mabika said. “Sometimes I have to still pinch myself when I realize I am playing pro soccer and my coach and owner (David Beckham) played for Manchester United. I am so appreciative for the sacrifices my parents made to give me this opportunity.”
Mabika took some time to adjust to living on his own after going to college 10 minutes from home. He also had to transition from the college level to the pros. He now feels ready to take the next step. He will be needed as Leandro Gonzalez Pirez was loaned to River Plate, Christian Makoun was traded to Charlotte FC and Ryan Shawcross retired.
“My goal was to get better every day, and I made great strides,” he said. “Being able to play those two MLS games was nice for me to take into the off-season. It helped me set the bar for what I can do to help the team this season.”
Darren Powell coaches the Fort Lauderdale USL team and feels Acosta and Mabika are ready for the promotion.
“Both have different pathways and have worked very hard for this next step in their careers,” Powell said. “For George last year was about building up confidence and stamina. We all saw potential in Aime in the draft and felt he was a player who would take time. He’s a very impressive young man with good character and from day one his ambition was to get an MLS contract and he attacked his year with intention of getting better every day. They both have more work to do, but they’ve made the next step.”
Inter Miami preseason schedule
Inter Miami fans will get their first preview of the new-look team on Feb. 5 as the club is hosting an open training session at DRV PNK Stadium.
“We are excited to be back on the pitch together continuing our preparation for the 2022 season,” Inter Miami coach Phil Neville said. “Our fans are an integral component of this club, and we didn’t want to wait until our first match of the regular season to show you what we have been working on.”
The free event will begin at 3:45 p.m. with player walk outs and remarks. Open training will kick off at 4 p.m. Gates open at 3 p.m.
Season-ticket holders will have tickets uploaded to their accounts. Other fans can register for the event at https://intermiamicf.formstack.com/forms/opentrainingrsvp
Training camp opens Monday. The team will train at home until Feb. 11 and then head to Charleston, South Carolina, for an eight-day camp that includes three matches as part of the 2022 Carolina Challenge Cup. Miami will play Columbus Crew on Feb. 12, the Charleston Battery on Feb. 15 and Charlotte FC on Feb. 19. Tickets for the tournament are available online via SeatGeek.com.
The team will also play three closed-door scrimmages at home. They face the Crew on Jan. 22, D.C. United on Jan. 29 and an MLS team to be announced on Feb. 4.
The club made major roster changes after not making the playoffs in 2021. More than 10 players who started games last season will be gone, including 2020 MVP Lewis Morgan, Designated Players Rodolfo Pizarro and Blaise Matuidi, and defenders Leandro Gonzalez Pirez and Christian Makoun.
Among the newcomers are Brazilian midfielder Jean Mota from Santos, midfielder Bryce Duke from Los Angeles FC, midfielder/fullback Mo Adams from Atlanta United, Bolivian center back Jairo Quinteros, winger Ariel (son of Roy) Lassiter, and MLS Draft pick Ryan Sailor. Jamaican defender Damion Lowe and Swedish-American center back Christopher McVey are expected to sign in the coming days.
The regular season kicks off Feb. 26 with a 6 p.m. home game against the Chicago Fire.
This story was originally published January 13, 2022 at 2:54 PM.