Lionel Messi has enjoyed a fast start to life in North America, scoring an injury-time freekick in his first appearance for Inter Miami against Cruz Azul before exploding against Atlanta United in his first start for 2 goals and an assist. It was hardly surprising to see Messi acclimatize to life with Miami so quickly, with the Argentine still amongst the world’s best players — but it remains to be seen how long the magic will last, and how much he can do for David Beckham’s team. Miami currently sit rooted to the bottom of the eastern conference table in the MLS, far off the pace that will be expected of them moving forward. With this season being a write-off on the league front, Beckham’s new band of former Barcelona players and staff will look to create an impact in the Leagues Cup and the US Open Cup.
Messi still awaits his first game in the MLS proper, and while he is expected to immediately become one of the league’s foremost players, the World Cup winner might still need some nudging in the right direction to be his most effective. Amid this, Messi has received a piece of advice from one of the MLS’s greatest ever, Mexican Carlos Vela, who has been a fixture of American football since he joined LAFC in 2018, and remains at that club at the age of 34. Speaking to The Athletic about adapting to life in the MLS, and what challenges it presents to players coming in from Europe, the former Real Sociedad player voiced his opinion on the matter.
“He just has to enjoy his football and decide what to do on the pitch to really stand out,” said Vela. “He comes from so many years playing in Europe with Barcelona and PSG, (where) strikers receive excellent service and all you have to do is finish the job. In MLS, you have to do a little more.”
Vela explains why Messi will enjoy his time at MLS
Messi was still consistently excellent in his two seasons with PSG, despite being somewhat in the shadow of Kylian Mbappe at the French club. Nevertheless, the Argentine guided his country to a World Cup triumph in 2022, and proved that he still has incredible pedigree at the highest level. Vela, who was self-admittedly very close to joining Messi’s Barcelona in 2020, explained that Messi would be surrounded by a good atmosphere in Miami, with a large population of the city being Spanish-speaking, and familiar to the Argentine.
“Messi will enjoy his time here. If there is one thing (soccer players) have in this country, it is quality of life. The comfort of knowing that after playing, you can have time with your family and go to public places without so much stress; he will have that. Obviously, Messi is well known around the world, but based on what he is used to, he will live a more peaceful life here,” concluded Vela.
Vela has enjoyed a fruitful spell as club captain in Los Angeles, contributing 77 goals in 141 appearances and leading them to two Supporters’ Shield (best regular season record in the MLS), earning an MVP award, reaching a CONCACAF Champions League final, and lifting the 2022 MLS Cup in a dramatic final last year. Messi will be hoping to recreate a similar sort of impact during his time in Florida, and with the quality he has already proven he still possesses, Miami fans will be optimistic about what the future holds.
