He's less of a cnut than the other guy.
Messi in Miami
- Thread starter Bastian
- Start date
What a pathetic and petty statement by Barca. „How dare he say no to us?“
Not almost everyone, and it's always completely overstated. Miami has a large population of Spanish-speaking descent, but it doesn't represent the Spanish-speaking population.
All the signs are still in English, and most people in the service industry will speak to him in English first. Unless he's in a bubble, he will be fluent in English.
Know plenty of people who have lived in the US for years speaking minimal English if any at all. He's going to live in his own bubble anyway, look at Tevez, all those years in England and the bloke just had no interest in learning it.
"with fewer demands". feck me that fat bastard sounds so salty.
Don’t think it’s fair to Miami and their sponsors should they allow Messi to loan out after paying huge fees for him.
Barca would pay a loan fee
Think his priority is to enjoy life with his family over there.
Sure the idea of giving him percentage of shirt sales, apple TV and MLS franchise is to have him actually playing over there?
Are you from Miami? Agree with all that but he wouldn't have to know or speak English because almost everyone speaks Spanish and that would be his preferred language of communication. He can and maybe will learn English but it won't be necessary.
Of course he lives in a bubble. He is Messi. Everyone knows him. And he always has an entourage with him, and they all speak Spanish to him.
Barcelona are a shameless club.
I don’t see the shame part? They should turn into squad players at European clubs - how is that better? I don’t see the issue in trying a new experience late in your career which both earns you a lot of dough and puts a spotlight on a different league. I’m sure he’d continue getting a goal or assist a game next season whether at Barcelona or in Italy but what’s the actual point? The guy achieved everything he dreamt of once that final penalty went in at the WC.
Did that really happen?I'm from Houston, which has a similar percentage of Spanish speakers, and I've been to Miami many times. No "almost everyone" does not speak Spanish even though a large percentage of the population does. Even MLB players who are on teams with so many Spanish-speaking players end up learning English. He's going to have to try really hard not to learn English.
Yup. You can easily get away with just Spanish in Miami
I’ll definitely tune in for a few matches to see him send defenders into the stands with his body feints 
The MLS plays over the summer, if he was loaned out that would only cover the winter months, such loans have been done with a number of players in the past, most notably by Beckham
Not exactly in my experience, with the exception of some high end hotels. Pretty much everywhere in downtown and South Beach, people were coming at me with Spanish first. I don't look gringo though. Messi is an international icon so they'll know to speak to him in Spanish.
TBH I suspect most folks down there will have no idea who he is, football in FL means the Glazer's and the Buccs, baseball is the real big sport
Ronaldo was mocked because of his interview. He was deluded thinking United was not good enough for him and finished in Saudia.
Maybe so if we were in the 80s and 90s, but today football is a big deal in all major US metropolitan areas, especially in places like Miami where so much of the population are Latino, coming from South and Central America. Also many Europeans who live there too.
I think it's a sad moment (professionally) due to the fact that I believe he can contribute at a higher level (think he would be good for a season in Seria A) but his name value probably means he won't be used in the capacity that he should be (limited minutes/ substitutions etc) while also feeling a personal sadness that I probably will never see him play live.
I guess it works for him on multiple levels (Money , distance to Argentina for international games etc etc) but I would have liked to see another season in Europe.
I guess it works for him on multiple levels (Money , distance to Argentina for international games etc etc) but I would have liked to see another season in Europe.
Interesting. I've been to Miami (and the wider South Florida area) a couple of times. Even in Little Havana, I never felt like I needed to lean on my barely passable Spanish.
Let's not forget Miami isn't only Spanish speaking... They do have Little Haiti north of downtown.
Messi should be fine regardless. Despite my experience Spanish is the lesser lingua franca of the area so even us gringos will have to dust off the "como estas" speaking to him
Gotcha. And why isn't he speaking fluent French already?
I know I'm there often.
Crazy opinion. If it was Arkansas you might have got a point. But fecking Miami
I'm in NY and that's how I get approached. I do look more Spanish that Indian. It's pretty much our second language here. It's spoken everywhere and he'll be alright speaking his own language.
I'm assuming he will spend most of his time in the high-class areas due to his wealth. There is no doubt some will speak to him in Spanish but I think he will be around so much English he will learn even in passing. IIRC he is on record saying he knows English but doesn't feel comfortable speaking it.
he's going to get a cut of the tv rights, the jersey sales, etc.
mmmm gravy. lovely, lovely gravy.
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
mmmm gravy. lovely, lovely gravy.
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
I can't say, but English is the lingua franca of the world. He is probably already exposed to it and knows some without even living in an English-speaking country. He will be immersed in the language now. I would be shocked if he isn't giving fluent English interviews within a year.
You're thinking of the Florida that's more in tune with the rest of the Deep South (Tallahassee, Gainesville, Jacksonville, Pensacola)
. I'd wager college football > football in many partsFrom West Palm Beach down, Messi is getting recognized
Messi could easily pass as an Italian. I live in NYC as well but I'm black so I don't have to worry about getting approached speaking Spanish
Also Messi will be 36 in a few weeks. Ronaldo wins the longevity contest by still being a decent poacher at 37. Who cares tbh. Messi was a better young player than Ronaldo and hit his prime earlier.
Can't wait to see Beckham pinging in crosses for Messi's headers
My issue with longevity while comparing the 2 is why ignore the beginning?Ronaldo became world class many months after turning 21. Messi was world class months before he turned 20. That's 2 years there.
And it's not like Messi has been forced to leave Europe; PSG wanted him to extend, Barcelona wanted him to sign for them, apparently there were others who wanted him. It is his own decision to semi retire while at the top (a world champion and reigning FIFA best winner, potentially a ballond'or winner) instead of becoming a parody like his rival.
he already owns a penthouse at one of the high rise buildings
https://en.as.com/en/2021/11/02/soccer/1635885986_481270.html
Argentine superstar Lionel Messi decided to buy an entire floor of a luxury condo building in Miami for $7.3 million
The condo he purchased is located in Sunny Isles Beach, Florida and it's roughly 10 miles away from Miami Beach. The Paris Saint-Germain player purchased the entire ninth floor that has four bedrooms, four-and-a-half bathrooms, 2,100 square feet of terrace space and a 1,000 bottle-wine cooler included.
better than a 14 hour flight from barcelona
Apart from the poster obviously getting Ronnie's age wrong this sums it up.
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He would have won another balon dor at 36 in the la liga just like benzema. shame