Leo Campana, Inter Miami’s all-time top scorer: “I had to work my butt off to earn a place”

During recent weeks, there has been a lot of speculation about how and when Lionel Messi would become the top goal scorer in Inter Miami’s history. The Argentinean has been closing in on the record for some time. But in the end, it was Leonardo Campana who surpassed Gonzalo Higuaín to take the record outright.

The Ecuadorian striker was on target in the 2-2 draw with Atlanta United on 19 September, to his personal tally to 30 and overtake Higuaín. And he extended his record by finding the net again in the next game against New York City, which means he is four goals ahead of Messi and 10 ahead of Luis Suárez, his closest pursuers, in the historic ranking.

The South American sat down with AS USA to reflect on his achievement, his career so far and what might lie ahead for him and the team in the near future.

You have reached 31 goals - a franchise record, two more than Higuaín, to become part of the great history of this club...

It’s definitely something nice, very exciting, but I’m not satisfied with that. My family asked me. They’re all excited about what I’ve achieved, but deep inside I know that I have so much more to give and that I’m ready for much bigger things. It’s a question of continuing to work hard, getting more playing time, and hopefully that record can be tripled.

Apart from your record-breaking strike, are there any others goal that are particularly significant for you?

Maybe the one I scored against Orlando in 2022, because that goal put us in the playoffs. It was definitely one of the best goals of my career, but my favorite might be the one against Atlanta. I controlled the ball, chipped the defender then volleyed in - for me, that’s one of my favorite goals I’ve ever scored.

Has it been a great experience for you to have a player like Luis Suárez as your mentor? What can you tell us about the day-to-day experience of working alongside him?

100%. Having such incredible teammates has helped me grow, both as a person and as a professional. There are times when I ask him for advice, but, above all, I dedicate myself to watching everything he does on the pitch. His movement and what makes him so lethal, because he has been a goal scorer in every single team he has played for. Those are things that you have to observe from close quarters. You have to keep learning and absorbing. And sure, I am very privileged to be where I am. Today, I have to be in a position where I am getting little playing time or few games, but I know that my time will come. It is a matter of continuing to work, continuing to support. Right now we are top of the league table and the idea is to become champions.

What can you tell us about Messi? What is he like on a day-to-day basis?

Everyone wants to know what he’s like as a person. Since you have him around so much on a daily basis and you see him all the time, you end up assimilating the reality. He’s an incredible person, very calm, very humble. He brings out the best in each player and obviously I would love to be out there on the same pitch as him for as long as I can.

When you see him on the pitch and you saw him on TV, did he impress you even more? Did you say, “He’s better than I’d seen him on TV”?

Yes, 100%. I have a memory from one of the first training sessions. He finished off an amazing move in training, scores a great goal and we all just stood up and started applauding. That’s what a player like him does to you, you don’t see it anywhere else. He scores great goals every day. People just see this here and say, “Wow! You can’t do anything else but marvel at him”.

You have found stability at Inter Miami, because you were in Switzerland, you were in Famalicão. Did you think you were going to be here for this long?

I came here in 2022 with the idea of getting enough playing time to give myself a chance of going to the World Cup. That opportunity didn’t come about after having had a great year - but I found a place where I am close to my family, where I feel good. I always work day by day to make the leap to Europe. I hear a lot of ex-footballers in interviews who say that I’m in my comfort zone, that I’m too comfortable, when the reality is that I’ve had to work my butt off just to earn a place. I have a group of people working with me. I’ve put together a group of physiotherapists, my coach, my nutritionist, who have made me grow a lot. I train day by day to be in the national team and make the leap to a big club in Europe.

You were a great player in the U20s, which had Rezabala, Estupiñán, Mina, in the South American Championship, in the World Cup. You went to England, to play for Wolves. How was that experience? You weren’t able to make your debut. You found yourself at a very high level at that time, I imagine that must still be a thorn in your side...

It was an incredible experience, I wouldn’t change anything from what I experienced. Wolverhampton were flying at that time. You had Raúl Jiménez in his prime, there was Adama (Traoré), Diogo Jota, Pedro Neto, Joao Moutinho, Rubén Neves... We had a great team which meant I was on the bench. Then the pandemic hit, and I couldn’t find my way. So I went on loan to Portugal, Switzerland. I had a lot of injuries, I had a very difficult time. I came to a place where they opened the doors for me, they made me feel special. My career started to take shape. I am very grateful to all the coaches I have had here and the owners who made me feel at home.

To fulfill that dream, is England the goal? Would you love to go back because of what you’ve already experienced?

Yes, I think I owe myself a debt. If it ends up happening, I would love to go back, whether it’s England, Spain or Italy. They are the three top leagues in the world today. If it can happen, let it happen. I leave everything in God’s hands. I’m a very religious guy. I’ll work hard and let him take care of the rest.

Who did you look up to when you were growing up?

The one who I am teammates with today. I used to escape from classes. I remember that at school they would put the games on in the living room, in the dining room where the teachers ate, and I would escape. I had a teacher who was a good friend of mine and he would allow me to watch the games. Specifically Iniesta, Xavi... I grew up watching them play. Not even in my wildest dreams would I have imagined being here.

What does a No.9 need in today’s game to stand out from the rest?

I think it all depends on the work and the desire you have to get ahead. I think that today in Europe it has been proven that talent is not enough. You have to work, you have to look for ways to improve day by day. I think that is the way. You may be technically a little less gifted than others, but if you work things will work out for you 100%.

How do you describe the level of MLS to people who may not have come to see a game or don’t follow it as often?

It’s a league that has grown a lot in recent years. Many people see it and say, no, the MLS is not good enough, but when you look at it, without underestimating the Mexican teams, it’s one of the best leagues in this part of the world. In the Leagues Cup, most of the teams from here, from the MLS, beat the teams from Mexico. It’s something to keep in mind. Many people are coming here, many young kids, to make the jump to Europe.

Inter Miami is very close to winning the Supporters’ Shield, which was not possible in the Concachampions. Is there extra pressure playing for this team?

The pressure is on because we have become very competitive. The team has taken on a different mentality. This is what you get from having the four big teams that came here, they infect you with that desire to win, to win every game. In previous years, we might have saved a draw away from a strong team, and it’s not that we celebrated, but it felt good. Today, if we draw, we feel bad. We want to win and we want to win everything we set out to do. Definitely, yes, the Supporters’ Shield would be something very important.

What has Tata Martino given you as a coach?

A lot of confidence. I have felt his confidence, especially because of having Josef (Martínez) last year, who played with him in Atlanta. He told me that I had to work to earn a place in the team. And that’s exactly how it was. I worked, I ended up playing. I know that he trusts me a lot. He appreciates me a lot because he sees not only the quality of player that I am, but the quality of person. In the same way, he is a guy who speaks clearly. For me, that is the most important thing - the fact that he is transparent and honest. These are things to admire.

You got along well with Josef off the pitch, but you had a lot of competition. He moved on (to Montreal), to leave room for Suárez. Did the challenge you had last year help you grow?

Yes. In football, you compete for your opposition. I have had to compete with Luis Suárez, who has been, for me, the best striker in the last 10, 12 years. I accept my place, but I am not satisfied with that. I try to give my best and score goals, which is why I am here.

What advice has Suárez given you? Did you ask him for anything in particular? What advice do you think has helped you and what observation did he make to improve your game?

I haven’t asked him that question yet. I’d love to have a coffee or something right here at the facility and talk about what’s wrong with me, what’s right with me, what I can improve to get better.

Do you consider yourselves the best team in the MLS?

I think so. We have a very good team. We have what it takes to compete. There are also Columbus, LAFC, Galaxy, Salt Lake. But I think we have something special and hopefully we can win the championship at the end of the year.

Do you feel that your rivals up their game against Inter Miami?

Yes. I think that, right now, there is no easy game for Inter. All the teams want to prove themselves here. All the teams want to put in a good performance against us, because they know that they are being watched all over the world.

Do you feel that playing for this team gives you a bigger chance? You were in Portugal, but I don’t think you’ve ever had as much exposure as you do now...

It’s nice to do things well here, to score goals. You get more recognition. It’s nice to be out on the street and have people recognize you. You feel that affection from everyone. All of us who are here are privileged to experience what the team is experiencing. We have to enjoy it.

What does it mean to have one of the best left-backs in the world (Jordi Alba), knowing that a cross will always come to you, and a No.5 who delivers the ball so cleanly (Busquets)?

Juan Román Riquelme also said that. I remember. Busquets is different to all the players who play in that position. He changed football. You see him on the pitch and he gives you a sense of calm and peace every time he has the ball. I always realized that he was a great player when I saw him growing up. Today, having him as a teammate, he is also a great person. And Jordi too. He is the joy of the team. He is always making jokes. You know that, every time he passes, you will get a ball from him - for a striker it is something incredible to have him on that left wing.

What message do you have for Inter Miami fans, and what would you like to tell all of the people who have followed your career since the beginning?

Thank you for all your support. I have always felt your affection. I will continue to be a hard-working person who wants to do things in the best way possible.

Campana will have a number of chances to extend his goals record before the season is out. There are four regular season games left to play and Inter have already secured a place in the postseason with the Round 1 Best-of-3 series starting on Saturday, October 26 and reaching their conclusion on Sunday, November 10.

Inter Miami’s next game is against Charlotte at Chase Stadium on Saturday 28 September with kickoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET. The three remaining regular season games after that are against Columbus Crew (A), Toronto (A) and New England (H).