You may have heard that Lionel Messi is doing incredibly well in the United States, so we've compiled a list of the best quotes that tell the story of what his Inter Miami teammates really think of him.
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Since joining the side co-owned by iconic former footballer David Beckham in 2023, the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner has played a hand in 33 goals in 22 appearances. He also almost single-handedly guided the club to their first-ever trophy last year – the Leagues Cup – while his performances this season have inspired the Herons to an excellent start to the MLS season. After only 11 league matches, the Florida-based team occupy first place in the Eastern Conference, meaning they're in an excellent position to qualify for the MLS play-offs should their form continue.
Over the past 10 months, Messi's colleagues at Inter Miami have waxed lyrical over the impact he has had in America, so we've picked out five of the best quotes that perfectly encapsulate their feelings toward to Barcelona's former No. 10.
Drake Callender (goalkeeper)
"I see his dedication to the sport and to this team. In the short time he's been with us, he's really bought into what we're trying to do and he's made some great contributions on the field and off. He just wants to be one of the guys, you know? He wants to be one of our teammates and he's very humble and that's something that I respect a lot. And so seeing how he operates on the training field, like the importance that he puts on training and in games, you can still see the fire in his eyes when he competes and it shows me what kind of level we need to compete at if we're to be ambitious and want to win games."
Nicolas Freire (defender)
"He is a born leader and he is always supporting, whether it is his turn to play or not, that is what leaders do and he is always present."
Marcelo Weigandt (defender)
"Honestly, it's been extraordinary [playing with Messi]. Leo is very humble and simple. He's a great person, and complements the team well. He talks to us to inspire us. It's something so nice, that someone so important notices every detail of the group and the club, he makes us more professional."
Julian Gressel (winger)
"He makes you feel comfortable, he makes you feel part of the team, and it's certainly cool to see how he's just one of the guys, one the teammates – that wants the best for the team, that wants to win. It's something that [Messi, Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba] have done from the start really, where they don't act as if they're better than anybody else... they're really humble guys, really good guys, family first, really good teammates, he's obviously an incredible captain."
Robert Taylor (winger)
"It's a dream come true to be able to play with the best player of all time, in my opinion. It's very easy for other players to adapt to the way he [Messi] plays. He is so good with the ball. He makes 100% correct decisions. Whenever he [Messi] has the ball, we try to make the right runs and create space. It's great to play with him. During my career, I've played with a lot of good players, but everyone knows that Messi is the best player of all time. It has never been so easy to play with anyone."
