Messi in Miami

[Saffron]

Should have came to the premier league for at least a season. Wasted in Miami he's still absolutely class

I can understand why he got sick of Europe after imbeciles called his time in France a failure because they didn't even watch the games and just went by tap-in numbers.

Whereas if you looked at impartial, automated data from Opta he was the best player in the league by far.

Average rating:

1. Lionel Messi 8.11
2. Remy Cabella 7.56
3. Branco van den Boomen 7.52
4. Kylian Mbappe 7.42

But such is life in the TikTok era where tap-ins reign supreme. No one thought Hugo Sanchez was better than Maradona just because he scored 164 in 207 for Real Madrid. But if he played today he would probably get dragged into a GOAT debate.

 

[Gehrman]

I can understand why he got sick of Europe after imbeciles called his time in France a failure because they didn't even watch the games and just went by tap-in numbers.

Whereas if you looked at impartial, automated data from Opta he was the best player in the league by far.

Average rating:

1. Lionel Messi 8.11
2. Remy Cabella 7.56
3. Branco van den Boomen 7.52
4. Kylian Mbappe 7.42

But such is life in the TikTok era where tap-ins reign supreme. No one thought Hugo Sanchez was better than Maradona just because he scored 164 in 207 for Real Madrid. But if he played today he would probably get dragged into a GOAT debate.

Messi always said he wanted to retire whilst on top like Zidane. When he won the WC as the best player he got his fairly tale ending and was at age you move into semi retirement anyway. Footballers especially those subjected to insane pressure want to be able to relax, enjoy their life more and spend more time with their families.

 

[Saffron]

Messi always said he wanted to retire whilst on top like Zidane. When he won the WC as the best player he got his fairly tale ending and was at age you move into semi retirement anyway. Footballers especially those subjected to insane pressure want to be able to relax, enjoy their life more and spend more time with their families.

Fair enough but the bolded part doesn't necessarily apply to him. When his peak level was so astronomical and he has no crippling injury issues, his level dropping by 20% due to age doesn't mean as much as it does for other players.

He could still absolutely be one of the best if not the best player in Europe in 2024.

 

[Alpha 1]

I can understand why he got sick of Europe after imbeciles called his time in France a failure because they didn't even watch the games and just went by tap-in numbers.

Whereas if you looked at impartial, automated data from Opta he was the best player in the league by far.

Average rating:

1. Lionel Messi 8.11
2. Remy Cabella 7.56
3. Branco van den Boomen 7.52
4. Kylian Mbappe 7.42

But such is life in the TikTok era where tap-ins reign supreme. No one thought Hugo Sanchez was better than Maradona just because he scored 164 in 207 for Real Madrid. But if he played today he would probably get dragged into a GOAT debate.

French press look for scapegoats and Mbappe can't be one so it was either Messi or Neymar.

 

[Gehrman]

Fair enough but the bolded part doesn't necessarily apply to him. When his peak level was so astronomical and he has no crippling injury issues, his level dropping by 20% due to age doesn't mean as much as it does for other players.

He could still absolutely be one of the best if not the best player in Europe in 2024.

Messi has had a visible age related decline since he turned 33. I dont think he could be the best player in Europe at 36 and he's too big not to be scrunized all the time. I think he's happy that the circus is done with and left Europe with a WC and 8th Ballon d'or.

 

[Saffron]

Messi has had a visible age related decline since he turned 33. I dont think he could be the best player in Europe at 36 and he's too big not to be scrunized all the time. I think he's happy that the circus is done with and left Europe with a WC and 8th Ballon d'or.

If he could out-perform Mbappé last season (and I hold Mbappé above Haaland) I think it's possible.

Not guaranteed to be the best in Europe but definitely in the top tier.

 

[Zehner]

If he could out-perform Mbappé last season (and I hold Mbappé above Haaland) I think it's possible.

Not guaranteed to be the best in Europe but definitely in the top tier.

I think he definitely had a few more seasons in him and when in form, he's probably still the best in the world. But I guess maintaining that form week in week out in a top league gets increasingly difficult the older you get. I would have loved it if he returned to Barca after PSG but then again, we might get to see him in another WC thanks to his Miami move.

 

[Swoobs]

If he could out-perform Mbappé last season (and I hold Mbappé above Haaland) I think it's possible.

Not guaranteed to be the best in Europe but definitely in the top tier.

He has already won the WC and done it all in Barca, he has nothing left to prove. At his age, the only way is down because whichever UCL level club he joins expects a super messi (barca/wc level) and you will not get that frequently at his age.

 

[Don_Johan14]

Messi never worked under a true world-class manager at Barca bar Guardiola as well.

I have no idea why Barca management always goes for mediocre, unproven managers. Imagine Messi under Klopp, Ancelotti etc.
In contrast, the worst Real brought was Benitez, Pellegrini who all did great things in the UCL, Premier League etc. and who are still better than most Barca coaches.

Ancelotti? he's a player aligner and tactically he's awful. To put him on the level of Guardiola and Klopp is an insult to these 2.

 

[heraklion]

Ancelotti? he's a player aligner and tactically he's awful. To put him on the level of Guardiola and Klopp is an insult to these 2.

I would take a player aligner that won the most CLs in history for a CL run than those trying to recreate the wheel & messing everything up with their "innovative" approaches in the CL..

 

[Alpha 1]

Ancelotti? he's a player aligner and tactically he's awful. To put him on the level of Guardiola and Klopp is an insult to these 2.

Ancelotti may not be revolutionary like those 2 but he is brilliant and certainly much better than whatever Barcelona had apart from Pep.

 

[Fobal]

Of course he still can make it at any League, yet the coach and team must be settle in order to allow him to be HIM.
Like Klopp said recently, being Messi is not a big issue of when and why he'll do it, but the team must work like for instance Argentina does, to let him be.
And this doesn't mean just to pressure for him, but understand how to use him.

You can see it in Miami in this last game how easily he gives order, settles the attack, cleans the play, find spaces and accelerate the tempo only to most of times the play be fvck up by the fella that receives the ball making a bad pass, misscontrol it, holding it too much, etc...for instance in this last game he made the typical Alba connection with the kid on the left numerous times, I don't think the kid returned the ball even once.
PD: BTW Redondito Jr, played REALLY BAD, he must calm down and hear Messi more, while osition himself better and play more simple and accurate, the technique and physique is there.

In PSG I don't think Poch was the right coach to manage the three lads, nor Galthier that at least at first did it better.
Nowadays Luis Enrique in fact was a better choice since day one, knowing both Ney and Messi and dealing with a similar situation in Barca, while being a winner coach with a strong character that doesn't care about status that much.

His first season, he had a good season for an Elite player, a mediocre one for HIM. And this I think was due to:

1. Him being really sad about how things ended in Barca and really angry at Laporta specially. He wasn't there, he arrived without preparation, quite a mess.

2. He also arrived there trying to not be a disruptive force and I dunno if that is the best approach if you want first to save YOUR face and make a stand about your status. Angry Copa America/WC/against Madrid Messi was needed.
Letting Ney keeping the 10, letting know Mbappe he comes to sum, not to be THE guy and not arrive more in a "I'm Messi, this is how this has to be done", wasn't a good idea given current PSG's state.
Neither of the two took really advantage of him, while fighting with each other and this approach and the whole context created a grey scenario that wasn't what him and PSG needed.
Only in the second season, specially Mbappe, realized the advantage of having him behind. Yet, later Ney was injured and didn't help the three of them the abysmal drop in level of many of the rest in the team: from blunders from Donna, Marquinhos, Ramos and cia, to Verratti being a shadow of himself and for instance Vitinha that looked promising at first being annoyingly stupid most of the time. The reinforces and youngsters weren't even near of the level that they had to be and bar the mirage of the first stage prior to the WC (the three fellas were fantastique), the team was still mediocre as one.

3. This created another issue, particular to PSG. The lads (fans) NEED to feel respected and the world tends to annoyingly troll them to the max. After the WC, somehow they expected to see Messy Messi, the "anda palla bobo" angry version and that wasn't going to happen, yet wasn't necessary either and he became the scapegoat (the first season things were already broken in his relantionship with many of the fans, for various reasons).
Suddenly no matter how great he was playing, setting attacks, managing the team in the offensive, the talks always were about how he walked the pitch, how he wasn't fierce, etc...he never either give the Barras the hour of the day and this with the overall mediocre level of the rest of the team bar Mbappe (that trully connected with him in many instances) fvcked everything up. He still produced, one of the major reasons of why they won the League title with Mbappe, but they are obssessed with CL and after the departure from it, plus everything said above created a really bad scenario that already was fvcked up.
Lesser players like Lavezzi, Pastore, Ibra and Di Maria had a better connection with PSG fans due to the commitment of those to the "cause", Messi comitt only in a Pro level, not in a sentimental one, everything was broken to the core, plus didn't help to the overal atmosphere, the level of the rest of the team an its production on the pitch.

So many of the things said above can happen at other European club if the coach doesn't have a strong personality and the players understand that at the end of the day, if you let him do his thing, everyone will benefit, sthg that with all the mess PSG is since a decade, with their insane auto pressure to become a Powerhouse, was far from a great place to done things right.
With all things sad, it's silly and fanboyism to say that he was above Mbappe in production in those days in PSG, specially the first season, yet he was the most intelligent player that they had and produced a lot in consequence in the second, but he just wasn't fully there, PSG wasn't having any and everything was broken.The narrative of the Press didn't help either.

Sorry for the long rant

 

[Camilo]

I think it's great he's gone to America, lovely way to ease into retirement; playing with your old mates in the sun. "He could have played on in Europe for another couple of seasons" - yeah, probably physically, but mentally I think he'll be ready to check out.

 

[Gehrman]

Of course he still can make it at any League, yet the coach and team must be settle in order to allow him to be HIM.
Like Klopp said recently, being Messi is not a big issue of when and why he'll do it, but the team must work like for instance Argentina does, to let him be.
And this doesn't mean just to pressure for him, but understand how to use him.

You can see it in Miami in this last game how easily he gives order, settles the attack, cleans the play, find spaces and accelerate the tempo only to most of times the play be fvck up by the fella that receives the ball making a bad pass, misscontrol it, holding it too much, etc...for instance in this last game he made the typical Alba connection with the kid on the left numerous times, I don't think the kid returned the ball even once.
PD: BTW Redondito Jr, played REALLY BAD, he must calm down and hear Messi more, while osition himself better and play more simple and accurate, the technique and physique is there.

In PSG I don't think Poch was the right coach to manage the three lads, nor Galthier that at least at first did it better.
Nowadays Luis Enrique in fact was a better choice since day one, knowing both Ney and Messi and dealing with a similar situation in Barca, while being a winner coach with a strong character that doesn't care about status that much.

His first season, he had a good season for an Elite player, a mediocre one for HIM. And this I think was due to:

1. Him being really sad about how things ended in Barca and really angry at Laporta specially. He wasn't there, he arrived without preparation, quite a mess.

2. He also arrived there trying to not be a disruptive force and I dunno if that is the best approach if you want first to save YOUR face and make a stand about your status. Angry Copa America/WC/against Madrid Messi was needed.
Letting Ney keeping the 10, letting know Mbappe he comes to sum, not to be THE guy and not arrive more in a "I'm Messi, this is how this has to be done", wasn't a good idea given current PSG's state.
Neither of the two took really advantage of him, while fighting with each other and this approach and the whole context created a grey scenario that wasn't what him and PSG needed.
Only in the second season, specially Mbappe, realized the advantage of having him behind. Yet, later Ney was injured and didn't help the three of them the abysmal drop in level of many of the rest in the team: from blunders from Donna, Marquinhos, Ramos and cia, to Verratti being a shadow of himself and for instance Vitinha that looked promising at first being annoyingly stupid most of the time. The reinforces and youngsters weren't even near of the level that they had to be and bar the mirage of the first stage prior to the WC (the three fellas were fantastique), the team was still mediocre as one.

3. This created another issue, particular to PSG. The lads (fans) NEED to feel respected and the world tends to annoyingly troll them to the max. After the WC, somehow they expected to see Messy Messi, the "anda palla bobo" angry version and that wasn't going to happen, yet wasn't necessary either and he became the scapegoat (the first season things were already broken in his relantionship with many of the fans, for various reasons).
Suddenly no matter how great he was playing, setting attacks, managing the team in the offensive, the talks always were about how he walked the pitch, how he wasn't fierce, etc...he never either give the Barras the hour of the day and this with the overall mediocre level of the rest of the team bar Mbappe (that trully connected with him in many instances) fvcked everything up. He still produced, one of the major reasons of why they won the League title with Mbappe, but they are obssessed with CL and after the departure from it, plus everything said above created a really bad scenario that already was fvcked up.
Lesser players like Lavezzi, Pastore, Ibra and Di Maria had a better connection with PSG fans due to the commitment of those to the "cause", Messi comitt only in a Pro level, not in a sentimental one, everything was broken to the core, plus didn't help to the overal atmosphere, the level of the rest of the team an its production on the pitch.

So many of the things said above can happen at other European club if the coach doesn't have a strong personality and the players understand that at the end of the day, if you let him do his thing, everyone will benefit, sthg that with all the mess PSG is since a decade, with their insane auto pressure to become a Powerhouse, was far from a great place to done things right.
With all things sad, it's silly and fanboyism to say that he was above Mbappe in production in those days in PSG, specially the first season, yet he was the most intelligent player that they had and produced a lot in consequence in the second, but he just wasn't fully there, PSG wasn't having any and everything was broken.The narrative of the Press didn't help either.

Sorry for the long rant

I feel a bit old when the phrase he's "HIM" is used. Its still really cringe. I imagine its an American import.

 

[Fobal]

I think it's great he's gone to America, lovely way to ease into retirement; playing with your old mates in the sun. "He could have played on in Europe for another couple of seasons" - yeah, probably physically, but mentally I think he'll be ready to check out.

Do not let a major ingredient out: MONEY and lots of it for the ages if he makes his COSMOS and became the Face of Football in USA for his entire life.
He didn't need to receive a huge transfer, he needed USA to open the gates of producing constant bizzness for decades to go.
With the Copa America in months, the WC in a couple of years, the timing is perfect if the USA finally makes the last jump to fully enter in Football.

It might not be primarly his idea, but his Father and co? do not doubt about it a single second and since time.
In such regard even if at his core he just loves to play and do his thing and just focus in that, his family and friends.
He still is Responsible for not being entirely Responsible of how to manage his CORPORATE self. From tax avoidance, to like Jordan, CR and many, making bizzness with some dubious people, he is too old to hide under "my people manages my bizzness".
Even if it looks like it is that way, he still is the one that makes the bizzness possible and his family at moments feels like has gone a bit over the top with the Messi Gold Mine Company.
It's true that I think he wanted to give his wife and kids a great place with an eternal summer, with less fans being extra nuts, plus being with friends while playing and staying fit for the NT while still wanting to win whatever he is playing, it's just his nature. But Messi is also making his PELE COSMOS move.

PD: I think he didn't measure yet how annoying and yellow the USA and Mexican press can be if the results do not come, they trully can be as annoying as L Equipe and cia were in France, or how the whole Madrid Press was and still is with him.

 

[heraklion]

The only thing Messi cares about at this point is the Copa in the summer and making it to the WC one last time (highly dependent on Copa win) while enjoying his time in Miami..

 

[Fobal]

I feel a bit old when the phrase he's "HIM" is used. Its still really cringe. I imagine its an American import.

Nah, might be my bad english grammar, if I've remotely got what you are saying

 

[davisjw]

I think when it comes to Messi in Miami two things can be (and are) true:

1. Messi was tired of all the pressure and circus around being a top player in Europe; he stopped wanting to be competitive in that space of the game. He was burned by Barcelona, the love of his life, and there was no path back. Then he went to PSG where he was made a scapegoat and was frankly "hated" by fans in a way he never experienced. Messi comes across as a good guy at heart who wants to be loved. He would have hated England or Germany.
2. Messi comes to MLS to "relax" more but still has an intense desire to be successful in America and dominate. He's a winner. He wants to win. He's putting in the work. He's not vacationing even if the environment is more relaxed (e.g. the media follows him around but they aren't bashing him; fans don't exactly care if Miami win more so than they want to see Messi do wonderous things - if he scores three but the team loses 4-3 they're happy).

I think most people think heading to MLS means you completely turn off. That you can't want to relax more but still work hard to win. Guys like Beckham, Ibra, Keane, Henry, etc came to win and remained "professional" - they trained and played as hard as they would if they were in Europe. Others came thinking they could completely turn off and they bombed out like Marquez.

For the first time since Barcelona, Messi is playing for fun again, he's beloved by Miami (and MLS in general) fans, he's smiling, he's winning and scoring and assisting, and because of that he's playing back at his highest level (that he can at his age). If he came to the EPL and the grind, he wouldn't be playing at this level, regardless of the competition.

Messi isn't in the US for money. If that were the case he'd have picked Saudi Arabia, so can we stop with the money point? He's never come across as caring about money and certainly could have been far more well off if that was his desire. He comes across as a guy who has a lot and he's fine with that; he doesn't need to be richer for the sake of it or to brag that they're the highest paid (like Ronaldo or Neymar).

 

[Gehrman]

I think when it comes to Messi in Miami two things can be (and are) true:

1. Messi was tired of all the pressure and circus around being a top player in Europe; he stopped wanting to be competitive in that space of the game. He was burned by Barcelona, the love of his life, and there was no path back. Then he went to PSG where he was made a scapegoat and was frankly "hated" by fans in a way he never experienced. Messi comes across as a good guy at heart who wants to be loved. He would have hated England or Germany.
2. Messi comes to MLS to "relax" more but still has an intense desire to be successful in America and dominate. He's a winner. He wants to win. He's putting in the work. He's not vacationing even if the environment is more relaxed (e.g. the media follows him around but they aren't bashing him; fans don't exactly care if Miami win more so than they want to see Messi do wonderous things - if he scores three but the team loses 4-3 they're happy).

I think most people think heading to MLS means you completely turn off. That you can't want to relax more but still work hard to win. Guys like Beckham, Ibra, Keane, Henry, etc came to win and remained "professional" - they trained and played as hard as they would if they were in Europe. Others came thinking they could completely turn off and they bombed out like Marquez.

For the first time since Barcelona, Messi is playing for fun again, he's beloved by Miami (and MLS in general) fans, he's smiling, he's winning and scoring and assisting, and because of that he's playing back at his highest level (that he can at his age). If he came to the EPL and the grind, he wouldn't be playing at this level, regardless of the competition.

Messi isn't in the US for money. If that were the case he'd have picked Saudi Arabia, so can we stop with the money point? He's never come across as caring about money and certainly could have been far more well off if that was his desire. He comes across as a guy who has a lot and he's fine with that; he doesn't need to be richer for the sake of it or to brag that they're the highest paid (like Ronaldo or Neymar).

3. He was turning 36 in July and had won everything there is to win both in team trophies and individual accolades. His real career was complete. I think that's more the thing. I mean he pretty much said so himself when he said winning the wc changed everything when it came to staying in Europe.

 

[Fobal]

People you are really being extremely naif if you think that Messi doesn't want to be the face of football in years to come. If he does things right he pulls out a Jordan, even if it's radically more difficult with a Sport that still isn't that huge in the USA.
Also just being there makes him a lot more famous than he already was, lots more of adverts for a lifetime. In fact it's not just money per se, it's having sthg beside football when he retires for him, his dad and everyone there if he doesn't pursuit a carreer related to football (or even if he does).
Don't be naif.

He might not be fully involve in how that has to be done, but don't be daft for christ sake, we are talking of hundreds of millions here flowing decade after decade if this stuff works.
Plus the possibility to invest buying a club or any sort of presence in the League, time will tell if it works, but that is huge long term reason that also he does it for his family as a whole, not just his wife and kids.
Plus once you get a taste of that super millionaire stuff, it's hard to leave it or merely keep it. Messi already invests in Hotels, Gaming Pro Sports, etc etc

Arabia is an instant cash grab, being big in the USA it's a whole other level.
It doesn't have a thing to do with him really ALSO wanting to enjoy more his life, remain fit, face another football challenge but in a more relaxing atmosphere while enjoying his last days in the NT. That it's the reason why he didn't went to Arabia, but this doesn't change that ALSO he wants to established himself as Soccer's face with all that this implies. In fact Messi also knows that USA means that with him even more "relevant", his Arabian and Asian connections will remain healthy aswell.

PD: Cris might try to pull both, if he leaves Arabia soon, he can arrive to the USA in time. The problem here is his Ego and trying to actually change sthg. in Arabia on his back or still be tempted by the billions the Arabs will throw at him to a point he might not really can play anymore.

 

[Moriarty]

The only thing Messi cares about at this point is the Copa in the summer and making it to the WC one last time (highly dependent on Copa win) while enjoying his time in Miami..

Don't the WC holders automatically qualify for the next tournament ar has that changed. I feel like I've been living in a cave the past 5 years.

 

[heraklion]

Don't the WC holders automatically qualify for the next tournament ar has that changed. I feel like I've been living in a cave the past 5 years.

No longer, they have to play in the qualifying groups for the WC.

 

[Lay]

Don't the WC holders automatically qualify for the next tournament ar has that changed. I feel like I've been living in a cave the past 5 years.

That changed in 2002

 

[Joel Miller]

I haven’t seen him play many games in the USA but from the little snippets I’ve seen of the last few games his Miami team are still really, REALLY bad. If they’re to win anything this season it’ll need to be another one man show again.

 

[Moriarty]

That changed in 2002

I had forgotten about that. 2002. My goodness.

 

[Camilo]

Do not let a major ingredient out: MONEY and lots of it for the ages if he makes his COSMOS and became the Face of Football in USA for his entire life.
He didn't need to receive a huge transfer, he needed USA to open the gates of producing constant bizzness for decades to go.
With the Copa America in months, the WC in a couple of years, the timing is perfect if the USA finally makes the last jump to fully enter in Football.

It might not be primarly his idea, but his Father and co? do not doubt about it a single second and since time.
In such regard even if at his core he just loves to play and do his thing and just focus in that, his family and friends.
He still is Responsible for not being entirely Responsible of how to manage his CORPORATE self. From tax avoidance, to like Jordan, CR and many, making bizzness with some dubious people, he is too old to hide under "my people manages my bizzness".
Even if it looks like it is that way, he still is the one that makes the bizzness possible and his family at moments feels like has gone a bit over the top with the Messi Gold Mine Company.
It's true that I think he wanted to give his wife and kids a great place with an eternal summer, with less fans being extra nuts, plus being with friends while playing and staying fit for the NT while still wanting to win whatever he is playing, it's just his nature. But Messi is also making his PELE COSMOS move.

PD: I think he didn't measure yet how annoying and yellow the USA and Mexican press can be if the results do not come, they trully can be as annoying as L Equipe and cia were in France, or how the whole Madrid Press was and still is with him.

I don't actually think he cares. Once he stops playing, he stops. That's it, done. Career over. I think he's choosing to enjoy a few more years of less serious competition before calling it quits. Money schmoney.

 

[Gator Nate]

I think when it comes to Messi in Miami two things can be (and are) true:

1. Messi was tired of all the pressure and circus around being a top player in Europe; he stopped wanting to be competitive in that space of the game. He was burned by Barcelona, the love of his life, and there was no path back. Then he went to PSG where he was made a scapegoat and was frankly "hated" by fans in a way he never experienced. Messi comes across as a good guy at heart who wants to be loved. He would have hated England or Germany.
2. Messi comes to MLS to "relax" more but still has an intense desire to be successful in America and dominate. He's a winner. He wants to win. He's putting in the work. He's not vacationing even if the environment is more relaxed (e.g. the media follows him around but they aren't bashing him; fans don't exactly care if Miami win more so than they want to see Messi do wonderous things - if he scores three but the team loses 4-3 they're happy).

I think most people think heading to MLS means you completely turn off. That you can't want to relax more but still work hard to win. Guys like Beckham, Ibra, Keane, Henry, etc came to win and remained "professional" - they trained and played as hard as they would if they were in Europe. Others came thinking they could completely turn off and they bombed out like Marquez.

For the first time since Barcelona, Messi is playing for fun again, he's beloved by Miami (and MLS in general) fans, he's smiling, he's winning and scoring and assisting, and because of that he's playing back at his highest level (that he can at his age). If he came to the EPL and the grind, he wouldn't be playing at this level, regardless of the competition.

Messi isn't in the US for money. If that were the case he'd have picked Saudi Arabia, so can we stop with the money point? He's never come across as caring about money and certainly could have been far more well off if that was his desire. He comes across as a guy who has a lot and he's fine with that; he doesn't need to be richer for the sake of it or to brag that they're the highest paid (like Ronaldo or Neymar).

Pretty much spot on. I have to laugh a little about the Miami thing... you're right about fans in Miami, but maybe not for the right reasons. Miami is a notoriously awful sports town. They've had good, even great, teams in about every sport, but the fans are terrible. But they do like a star performance.

 

[Alpha 1]

Him in Miami is semiretirement from club football. A relatively low pressure environment where he can enjoy playing while prolonging his international career. And not to forget that it is America where its all about money. Don't be surprised if over the long run he earns far more than Cristiano.

 

[Fobal]

BTW about the game, that foul he received could have been a very serious injury, incredible that it wasn't even called.

 

[Eddy_JukeZ]

Messi could easily still play at a high level in Europe, but he showed an obvious decline after his 2018-2019 season in the following seasons. I think each season since then was a small gradual decline.

Even though I think his 2nd season at PSG is extremely underrated, his CL performances in the KO stages since that specific season(2018-2019) have been fairly average.

If he didn't win the WC, I think he would have stayed in Europe trying to nab another CL trophy.

 

[tothetop96]

Haven’t been following Messi at all in the MLS. Can someone explain why he’s only made 9 appearances in the MLS and he moved to Miami in June or something last year? Has he been injured?

 

[Scarecrow]

Haven’t been following Messi at all in the MLS. Can someone explain why he’s only made 9 appearances in the MLS and he moved to Miami in June or something last year? Has he been injured?

The MLS season runs from March to October or something like that. He joined it late last year, played a bit, got injured, they missed the playoffs and their season ended early.

 

[Gehrman]

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

The MLS..

 

[horsechoker]

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

The MLS..

The goalie mistake is the worst but we see players round the keeper then be unable to finish all the time in Europe. I'm sure it happened to Garnacho recently

 

[Gehrman]

The goalie mistake is the worst but we see players round the keeper then be unable to finish all the time in Europe. I'm sure it happened to Garnacho recently

Torres for Chelsea vs us is still the greatest comical relief ive had in football for a long time despite me feeling sorry for him. He looked genuinely depressed.

 

[Hoof the ball]

I can't with this Miami team.

For those that aren't regular watchers of them, and assume that Messi and co has, and is, making them the best team in the MLS, you'd be sorely mistaken.
Even by MLS standards, most Inter Miami players are absolutely atricious. Defensive and passing mistakes that even most other MLS sides aren't making.

Alba, Busquets, Suarez and Messi don't have legs, so you have to match their quality on the ball with the legs of the rest of the team, but the problem is that the others are so bad on the ball, and so poor at building from the back that Messi is lucky if he touches the ball a dozen times in a half, or even a game.

It quite literally is moments FC with Messi expected to compensate for Miami's shite defending by creating something from thin air or scoring himself outside the box. I'd love to see the xG for him since he joined. It must be a huge overperformance.

 

[Gehrman]

I can't with this Miami team.

For those that aren't regular watchers of them, and assume that Messi and co has, and is, making them the best team in the MLS, you'd be sorely mistaken.
Even by MLS standards, most Inter Miami players are absolutely atricious. Defensive and passing mistakes that even most other MLS sides aren't making.

Alba, Busquets, Suarez and Messi don't have legs, so you have to match their quality on the ball with the legs of the rest of the team, but the problem is that the others are so bad on the ball, and so poor at building from the back that Messi is lucky if he touches the ball a dozen times in a half, or even a game.

It quite literally is moments FC with Messi expected to compensate for Miami's shite defending by creating something from thin air or scoring himself outside the box. I'd love to see the xG for him since he joined. It must be a huge overperformance.

I wonder if the move to Inter Miami was based purely on the commercial appeal of Messi teaming up with Becks and the location because whilst im sure he doesnt care much about winning the Mls i think he still wants to show off some of the best football he can produce at his age but that's hard when they were literally the worst team in the league when he first joined. He can't produce much if he doesnt see much of the ball. I don't know why he didn't play the last game does he have a knock again?

 

[Fobal]

I wonder if the move to Inter Miami was based purely on the commercial appeal of Messi teaming up with Becks and the location because whilst im sure he doesnt care much about winning the Mls i think he still wants to show off some of the best football he can produce at his age but that's hard when they were literally the worst team in the league when he first joined. He can't produce much if he doesnt see much of the ball. I don't know why he didn't play the last game does he have a knock again?

There is no place for wonder, he had struck a lot of bizzness deals with his move to Miami and even if he could try that in another MLS Club, that would involve living somewhere else and Becks appeal and the package he had provide suited Messi better.
I wonder WHY ON HELL, is so hard in this thread for people to realize that he did his COSMOS move with his Miami transfer, if it works in the long term or not, it's just another matter.

 

[Gehrman]

There is no place for wonder, he had struck a lot of bizzness deals with his move to Miami and even if he could try that in another MLS Club, that would involve living somewhere else and Becks appeal and the package he had provide suited Messi better.
I wonder WHY ON HELL, is so hard in this thread for people to realize that he did his COSMOS move with his Miami transfer, if it works in the long term or not, it's just another matter.

Because there isnt much COSMOS about it if the team is perennially shit and he still needs a functional team around him to show off his skillset at his age.

 

[heraklion]

Because there isnt much COSMOS about it if the team is perennially shit and he still needs a functional team around him to show off his skillset at his age.

Messi went to Miami because he wanted to live in Miami, the so-called "capital of Latin America" where he already had a mansion & would spend extended vacations with his family while playing in Europe. It is so easy to see why there's no other city in the US & Latin world outside Europe that can provide the same living experience to Messi & his family as an Argentine family other than Miami including luxuries, quality of life, security etc.

Those who have been to Miami would understand what kind of a living experience you can have there as a wealthy Latin person especially as a non-English speaking Latin person. There's a reason Miami is also quite popular among Italian, French, Spanish. Maldini at one time was a co-owner of Miami FC I think with Vieri. It's a hot vacation/investment spot for a lot of current and ex-players especially from Southern European/Latin American nations as well.

Location was the key, everything else is secondary, the deals, etc. they were all cherry on the cake. That's why he overlooked the fact that Miami was the worst in MLS.