Inter Miami talk about potential Messi in their future
Inter Miami coach Phil Neville talked about the potential of having Lionel Messi join the team, but said it is of course, “hypothetical”.
Lionel Messi is in the last year of his contract with Paris Saint-Germain and after the World Cup ends in December, he’s set to take a look at his options. At 35 years old, Messi is coming up towards the end of his professional soccer career, but not before potentially joining Inter Miami in MLS.
Inter Miami coach Phil Neville did not want to get any hopes up when discussing the Messi possibility. He praised Messi as a player as well as the whole Argentina international team, who practiced in Miami in a World Cup warmup in September this year.
“I think that’s hypothetical really,” said Neville when asked about Messi joining Inter Miami. “The best player in the world, I’m looking forward to seeing him play at the World Cup, alongside other great players.”
“We actually let him inside our house about five, six weeks ago, when Argentina were here,” Neville said. “I watched all the sessions to see those great players on our pitch. It was something really special for the club. And I think when you talk about characters, when you talk about humility, when you talk about the right type of people, that Argentinian squad and staff were absolutely incredible. Incredible towards our football club.”
Inter Miami was founded just four years ago, but are looking at building towards a rise in Major League Soccer, and a Messi transfer would certainly help them get there. Inter Miami Sporting Director Chris Henderson was equally hesitant to make too many comments about Messi coming to the team, but was just as equally quick to praise him as a player.
“It’s great to be connected with amazing players and our club connected with that,” said Henderson. “I don’t want to comment on someone who’s not on our roster and speculation and rumors. But obviously, one of the greatest players to ever play the game.”
“Messi on any team in the world is going to change that team. So I do think, as I said, I don’t want to speculate and talk about him on our team, but he changes every team, every league that he plays for.”