Lionel Messi has been credited by former Inter Miami attacker Josef Martinez for turning the club into a popular one almost overnight.
According to La Vinotinto (via Goal), Martinez said that Messi has turned Miami into the ‘Real Madrid‘ of Major League Soccer. The Argentine moved to the club in the 2023 summer window.
Messi, who became a legend at Barcelona, moved out in 2021 before joining French giants Paris Saint-Germain. After failing to win the UEFA Champions League in Paris (but winning Ligue 1 twice), the Argentine maestro shifted base to the USA.
Martinez’s words hold true, sa Messi tasted almost immediate success at Inter Miami, winning the inaugural Leagues Cup in 2023. He also made Miami a globally attractive side to watch by bringing his former Barcelona teammates Luis Suarez, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets to the USA.
Messi has scored 43 goals in 53 appearances across competitions for the Herons.
Josef Martinez, who now plies his trade for the San Jose Earthquakes in the same league, also mentioned that not many people in the USA were aware of Inter Miami’s online presence before Messi arrived.
Lionel Messi, despite being 37, hasn’t lost his touch at all. In the ongoing season, he has found the back of the net nine times in 14 matches across competitions.
Martinez’s referral to Real Madrid might rankle some Barcelona fans, given that Lionel Messi played for them and not their famed rivals. However, it rings true to some extent given how popular Madrid are across the world.
Martinez was referring to the fact that Messi has made Miami almost as popular as Los Blancos globally after arriving in the USA. The diminutive Argentinian is likely to have a big role to play in American kids taking up the sport as a career.
An MBA degree holder in Finance, Mohul is also a professional cricketer and is currently in the reserves for Hyderabad’s Ranji Trophy team. He’s also played league football in Hyderabad.
His football interest sparked after watching countless Rahim League matches at the Gymkhana and supporting the State Bank of Hyderabad. He grew up hearing stories about the legendary Syed Abdul Rahim and his incredible football team of the 1960s, which had a big influence on him. He has admired Manchester United’s dominance in English and European football as well.
Tennis star Leander Paes, Olympic gold-medalist Abhinav Bindra, cricketing legend Rahul Dravid and football star Chinglensana Singh are Mohul’s favorite athletes. He is a staunch Hyderabad FC supporter, and Sahil Tavora’s 88th-minute equalizer in the 2021-22 ISL Cup final against Kerala Blasters is one of his favorite footballing moments. Abhinav Bindra’s gold medal in shooting at the 2008 Olympics also had a huge impact on Mohul.
In his work, he strives to write relevant, accurate and unbiased stories by conducting thorough research. When not working, Mohul enjoys reading books and listening to heavy metal and rock music.
Quick Links
