Well, that happened.

Inter Miami have been eliminated from the MLS Cup playoffs after losing Game 3 of their opening-round series to Atlanta United.

In what is being dubbed the “biggest upset in MLS playoff history,” the men in pink took it on the chin as they struggled to impose the same brand of football during the series that made them so dominant in the regular season.

As the one of the out-and-out favorites to make a run at MLS Cup, the loss was undoubtedly disappointing.

As the weeks and months go on, many fans, pundits and journalists will continue to reflect and probe through what went wrong.

Though the list may continue to get longer as time goes by, these are just a few of the different causes and reasons as to why Tata Martino's men fell short.

Here are five reasons why Lionel Messi and Inter Miami failed to reach MLS Cup.

No Busquets Was Costly

Perhaps one point that gets overlooked when dissecting what went wrong for Miami is the absence of Sergio Busquets.

The Spaniard is one of the best midfielders of his generation, if not the best deep lying playmaker in the modern game. His ball-playing skills are crucial to making Inter Miami's attack run smoothly.

His ability to receive, control and distribute under pressure for the Herons is a key element for the team when progressing the ball forward.

Not only is the 36-year-old the metronome in attack, but his defensive contributions are also vastly underrated, ranking in the 90th percentile for most defensive actions according to FBref.

Unfortunately for Miami, the former Barcelona star was largely unavailable for their series against Atlanta due to illness. It meant the Herons were flightless as they failed to penetrate their opposition's compact low block.

If the 2010 World Cup winner had been on the pitch, Miami would have had an easier time breaking down the opposing defense.

As Miami pivots to 2025, one thing is clear: Busquets' importance shouldn't be understated again.

Playoff Format Has No Fans

When Major League Soccer first announced the new best-of-three playoff format, it was met with rampant criticism and hostility.

A year on, and many of the same complaints still ring true.

After their loss versus Atlanta, Jordi Alba spoke about the change and how it puts higher-seeded teams at a disadvantage.

"In my opinion, I am not the one who is going to change [it] now. This format seems a little unfair to me," the 35-year-old told the media after the loss.

"It is clear that it has been done this way for many years, but if you ask me, if it were up to me, I would have to be the champion of one conference against the champion of the other, to make it as fair as possible, that's how it is."

Yes, Miami should have done a better job to close out the series, but Alba may have a point here.

Under the previous format, Miami would have had a bye into the semifinals as the number one seed in the East.

Had this format been in place in 2024, the Herons would have had extra rest, home-field advantage and a shorter route to the MLS Cup Final.

It remains to be seen if the league will go back to its roots, but if Apple TV has anything to say, the extra matches (which leads to more revenue) seem welcome.

Defensive Needs to Mature...Quickly

For all the plaudits around Inter Miami's record-breaking attack in 2024, their Achilles heel was their defense.

A mixture of injuries, inexperience and poor play led to their early playoff demise.

From Noah Allen to David Martinez, to the injured Ian Fray and Nicolás Freire, Miami had no shortage of bodies for the backline, but the lack of quality and consistency was notable.

Though academy players such as Allen and Fray were standouts and improved over the course of the season, it's a shame teammate Tomas Avilés couldn't recreate their trajectory.

Initially acquired in 2023 from Racing Club in Argentina, Avilés was touted as the next breakout star for the Herons alongside Diego Gomez and Facundo Farias.

However, as the 20-year-old settled into the club, his growth stagnated.

There were multiple times during Miami's series against Atlanta when he failed to pick up his marker, was positionally poor or made silly decisions.

Football is a collective sport, but Avilés showed why Miami should think about acquiring a no-nonsense, experienced defender who could rotate out with the youngster consistently.

Historically Poor Versus Atlanta

Miami has always had trouble competing with Atlanta.

The Southeastern rivalry has traditionally been intense, culminating in their most recent meeting in the playoffs.

In 15 matches against the Five Stripes, Miami has only won six times.

Their playoff series was, in a sense, a microcosm of the Herons' historical struggles versus Atlanta.

It's no shock that the men in pink had difficulties against their northern neighbors. Atlanta plays quick, tough and fast, something Miami's defenders couldn't keep up with.

The series was also Miami coming face-to-face with the club it emulated the most.

Years ago, Atlanta was the model MLS expansion club. It brought in talent, a well-regarded coach in Tata Martino, and spent money to win big. Those investments paid off when it won MLS Cup in 2018.

Fast-forward to 2023, Miami has recreated that blueprint, but it fell short of winning the most coveted prize of them all.

When it came down to a head-to-head in the playoffs, Atlanta had the last laugh.

Complacency After Winning Shield, Clinching Points Record

After a thrilling regular season that saw Inter Miami set a new points record and clinch the Supporters' Shield, it's natural to ride the high of success as a club.

With such historic achievements under their belt, one wonders if complacency began to creep into the team mentality.

Winning covers over cracks.

While the Herons were excellent in the regular season, there were a few glaring red flags, specifically the lack of quality defending.

As they headed into the playoffs, players might have felt secure in their ability to make the MLS Cup Final. This could have led to a slight dip in intensity and focus.

Now, it's absurd to suggest a club filled with winners could be tired of success, but looking at the series loss to Atlanta, Game 3 should have been far more competitive in Miami's favor.

When expectations are high, there's always a risk that players can subconsciously underestimate opposition.

Ahead of the 2025 season, the loss will give the club enough time to reflect and make the roster adjustments needed to make next year's final.