FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA: Lionel Messi’s impact for Inter Miami has been clear to see, with three goals and an assist in 120 minutes on the field, but his teammates say his influence behind the scenes may be just as vital.
The seven-times Ballon d’Or winner and recently crowned World Cup-winning Argentine captain, faced a number of potential pitfalls when he joined the last-placed club in Major League Soccer.
Having spent his entire career alongside world-class players at Barcelona, Messi left behind star teammates such as Brazilian Neymar and Frenchman Kylian Mbappe at Paris Saint-Germain and walked into a locker room full of mostly unrecognizable faces.
Earning millions more than his teammates, enjoying a lifestyle and football resume they could only dream of it was by no means sure that he would bond with the rest of the squad.
Adding to the sudden change inside the team, Messi joined the club this month along with another former Barcelona star and World Cup winner, Spanish midfielder Sergio Busquets.
But speak to anyone connected with Inter Miami and they quickly tell you how the pair have parked their egos and gone out of their way to fit in with their new teammates.
“To be honest, I think that boils down to their character,” says American fullback DeAndre Yedlin.
“They’ve come in and they haven’t boasted or been like, oh, we’re the big guys here or anything like that. They’ve tried to meld right into the group,” said the defender, who gave up his captain’s armband to Messi.
There has been no special treatment at the training ground for the pair, says Yedlin, even though they know that their every wish would surely be agreed to.
“They eat the same things we eat and train the same way we train and use the
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