“The last chapter of Leo Messi’s legendary journey begins tonight”. The announcement was made on their social networks by the official account of the Major League Soccer (MLS)the entity that represents soccer in the United States and where the figure of the last World Cup will officially debut.
It is not a change of era but in the level of competition. Lionel Messi He played 19 years in Europe (he made his debut in 2004 with Barcelona and left Paris Saint Germain in 2023) and now he will have to do it against smaller teams from the United States, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. He will stop facing Bayern Munich in Germany or Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu to do it against “the cement machine” of Blue Cross.
Messi knows it. “I really want to start training, I come here with the usual desire to compete, to want to win and for this club to continue to grow“, he clarified in his presentation on July 16, exposing that preserving that nerve that led him to be one of the best in history. Beyond the goals, assists, trophies and recognition, the impressive thing about the Argentine was to sustain himself uninterruptedly in high competition and in two of the teams with the best players in the world.
The last chapter of Leo Messi’s legendary journey begins tonight.
Tonight begins a new chapter in Leo Messi’s legendary career.@InterMiamiCF take the field in @LeaguesCup action at 8 p.m. #MLSSeasonPass in @Apple TV. pic.twitter.com/ccGa1IEuby
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) July 21, 2023
It is unknown to know what the Messi of the United States league will be like without the friction and without the weight of playing against the best. Yes, he will be able to do it when he plays with the Argentine National Team the four South American qualifying games that will be played in September and October of this year. There the team that won the highest trophy in Qatar will have its first competition for points, thinking of the Copa América that will be held in 2024 in the United States.
Simultaneously to the furor that his arrival will end, Inter Miami took steps to hire midfielder Sergio Busquets (he played 15 years in Barcelona and was world champion with Spain) and left back Jordi Alba, another former culé who formed a prolific partnership with Messi during Luis Enrique’s years as Blaugrana manager. With both they won Spanish leagues, local cups and the Champions League.
Together with Busquets, Messi was part of an elite squad that he led Josep “Pep” Guardiola. The team modified 14 titles in four seasons and was placed on the short list of the best in history. The shining figure, of course, was the man from Rosario.
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Guardiola himself recorded in an interview with Jorge Valdano what was the first impression of the 10 on “Busi”: “I remember what Messi told me. After two or three days he got upset with him, he came and told me: “I like this guy.” I replied: ‘When we have problems, he will be here.’ He (Busi) does everything for others.”
Thus, Inter Miami began to move the influences that David Beckham tried on him so that Messi could compose a “holy Barcelona trinity” with players with whom they have won an unreal number of trophies in recent years. He will be a Renaissancea small glimpse of those golden years in which Barcelona occupied the pinnacle of football under the baton of fuoriclass Argentinian.
In hours the stage of the 10 albiceleste begins in Miami and from the MLS itself, in its announcement, they talk about the last chapter of a legendary journey. Just when the footballer himself acknowledges that they are his last years, although he does not give dates. The best thing about following his journey will be to see what prototype of Messi the world of football finds at Inter Miami.
