MLS
Inter Miami manager Tata Martino compares Lionel Messi’s mentality to Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant
The Inter Miami coach spoke about Messi’s mentality and anger at not winning, Atlanta United and player fitness.
The impact that Lionel Messi has had Inter Miami, MLS, US Sport and the United States as a whole has been an undeniable success. The Argentine landed stateside after a spell at PSG and has turned the country into a true focal point of soccer for fans across the world.
Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino, Messi’s manager in Miami, spoke in an interview with American media outlet The Athletic, where he opened up on various topics, focussing especially on Leo Messi.
Martino was questioned by journalist Felipe Cárdenas about Messi’s evolution over the years and how he has adapted like great sports figures such as Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan or LeBron James, to continue at the most high level despite his age.
Regarding this point, Martino highlighted Messi’s ease in adapting to all types of scenarios and assured that his mentality remains the same as the young man excited about winning everything at 17 years of age.
“All of those athletes have a similar mentality. It’s a mentality that he hasn’t changed since he was 17 years old up to this stage of his sporting career. So in that sense that’s what these athletes all have in common. The way they compete. The way that they’re always trying to be the best. In some cases it’s individual sports and also team sports. But they’re always trying to be the best, to make their teams better and to make their teammates better”, Martino explained.
Messi “visibly frustrated” when Inter Miami don’t win
Inter Miami are on an unbeaten run that stretches back to Messi’s arrival, yet they have not won every game. The most recent draw was against Nashville in MLS, about which Tata said Messi was “visibly frustrated”.
“I had to tell him relax, we’re not going to win every game”, said Martino. “We can’t allow draws but we have to continue to find ways to grow. He was very bitter. It was as if we had lost the game. We’re still trying to find ourselves (as a team), but he’s on a permanent quest to win and it’s very difficult to change that mentality. I would never want to change that mentality either. That’s what makes him better.”
Martino coy over saying whether Messi will play against Atlanta
Due to the fatigue and recent physical problems that Messi suffered in the most recent FIFA date with Argentina, Gerardo Martino acknowledged that he will wait to determine if the captain is fit to play next Saturday in the important duel against Atlanta United.
Martino did not declare whether or not Messi will play against Atlanta United, saying “there’s nothing more important than the health of the players”.
As for Messi, he said that “in this case it’s Leo. It could be another player, too. Regardless of how important a match is, we have to make sure that all of the players are fit, not take risks with them or make an injury worse. We’ll evaluate him as soon as he arrives and decide what is the best course of action for our upcoming games.”
Tata set to face his old team
Finally, Tata said he was excited to face Atlanta United, a team for which he has a special affection for the two wonderful years he experienced with the club where he was crowned MLS champion. He had a few words to say on his old team:
“No matter what happens on Saturday, Atlanta will want to continue to win. And all of our games are important for our playoff qualification, but that won’t diminish the love that I have for the club, for the city and for those two wonderful years... I’ve noticed that this Atlanta team is evolving. The new players are adapting well.”
