Inter Miami captain Lionel Messi has spoken about his excitement ahead of participating in the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup. The Florida-based club secured qualification for the expanded tournament last season after their Supporters’ Shield triumph in the MLS.
Talking to journalist Favian Renkel ahead of the tournament opener between the Herons and Egyptian outfits Al Ahly, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner said:
Messi last participated in the Club World Cup in 2016 with Barcelona, but will join the competition in its new expanded format with his current employers.
Lionel Messi has been phenomenal for Inter Miami since he joined the side in the summer of 2023 from Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer. He has become the side’s record goal scorer with 49 goals and 24 assists in 59 games. Messi has also helped the Herons secure the first two trophies in the club’s history – the Leagues Cup 2023 and Supporters’ Shield 2024.
Inter Miami captain Lionel Messi participated in three previous Club World Cups in his illustrious career, winning all three. The Argentine legend last appeared in the competition nearly a decade ago, with Barcelona in 2016, where he claimed the trophy following previous triumphs in 2010 and 2012.
Messi has scored five goals in five games in the competition, ranking fifth in the Club World Cup’s all-time goal scoring charts. The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner will be keen to add to his tally and potentially surpass Cristiano Ronaldo, who sits atop the leaderboard with seven goals.
Lionel Messi and Inter Miami will begin their journey in the competition on Saturday, June 14, against Al Ahly of Egypt in the tournament opener. The other teams in their group are FC Porto from Portugal and Palmerias from Brazil. The top two teams from the group will progress to the knockout stage of the competition.
Patrick’s favorite team is Manchester United for their unparallelled legacy and success in the game. He is a big admirer of Michael Carrick and his ‘smooth’ style of play back in the days. His favorite manager is Jose Mourinho, who according to him, brought a ‘swagger’ to football with his unique managerial style. Robin van Persie’s title-winning volley against Aston Villa for the 2013 PL triumph is etched in his memory forever.
Patrick always uses trusted outlets that produce accurate, balanced and fair information, and which present multiple point of views. He believes in reporting in a holistic manner for the readers’ benefit. If he could change a football rule, he would increase the number of substitutions allowed due to the high number of games played these days, to reduce injuries and so that youngsters get to show their talent as well.
When not covering football, Patrick loves reading, writing poems and short stories, and spend time with his dog Lana.
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