Lionel Messi said Thursday that he is happy again since joining Inter Miami. He called his move to Major League Soccer the “opposite” of his move from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain.
Messi has played six games for Miami and scored nine goals. He joined the MLS team after spending two years with PSG in France.
Messi talked to local reporters for the first time since he moved to Miami. He was calm and positive about his new life in South Florida and compared it to his time in Paris, which ended earlier this year with some PSG fans booing him.
“As I said at the time, I didn’t want to leave for Paris, and I didn’t want to leave Barcelona, but it happened from one day to the next,” he said.
“And, well, I also had to get used to a place that was totally different from where I had lived my whole life, both in terms of the city and sports, and it was hard, but the opposite of what is happening to me here,” he said.
Lionel Messi doesn’t have a lot of good things to say about his two years at PSG.REUTERS PHOTO
Messi had been with Barcelona since he was 13 years old, when he moved from Argentina to join the Spanish giants. He left after many years of success, mostly because the club was having money problems.
People thought Messi might go back to Barcelona or join the group of players going to the Saudi league, but Messi said he was happy with his choice.
“I can tell you that I am very happy with the decision we made, not just for the game and how it is going, but also for my family, how we live day to day, how we enjoy the city, this new experience, and how the people have welcomed us from the first day, and not just in Miami,” he said.
“I went on two trips with the team, and the way people treated me was amazing. So, he said, “I’m thankful and happy for the moment I’m living in and, most of all, to be able to keep doing what I’ve loved my whole life, which is to play, and to be able to do it this way with joy.” He added that he and his family had made the choice together.
When Miami plays Nashville in the Leagues Cup final on Saturday, the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner could win his first prize.
It would also be the first win for his club, which is only in its third season.
“Wouldn’t that be incredible? “Both for me and all of the club’s fans, and for the club itself,” he said.
“We want to be an example, and winning a championship would help us do that a lot. It’s a very new club that’s only been around for a few years, so winning our first championship would be great for all of us,” he said.
Messi said he was just enjoying the game and his life, even though he was the winner of the World Cup and a lot of people were hoping he would take soccer to new heights in the U.S.
“The truth is that I don’t think about any of those things. I just came here to play football, which I’ve loved my whole life, and that’s the main reason I chose this place,” he said.
Messi said that his family was doing well, even though they hadn’t found a stable place to live yet. He also said that he liked being part of the Spanish-speaking society in South Florida.
“From the start, when I first got there, the welcome was impressive. There are a lot of Latinos in this city, which also makes everything much easier,” he said.
“The Latinos are much closer, much more demonstrative, always showing affection, closeness, and I think that’s the most important, healthiest, and most beautiful thing to be able to settle in and enjoy what you do,” he said.
“I already knew a lot about the place and its people. I liked it before, but living here every day and spending all my time here has brought me much closer to the city and the people who live here.
“I’m happy, and I’m enjoying this new part of my life, living in the U.S., which is something I’ve always wanted to do.”