"Players who come in find it’s a tough league" - Wayne Rooney fires warning to Lionel Messi ahead of Inter Miami debut
Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney, who is currently the manager of MLS club DC United, fired a warning to Lionel Messi ahead of his Inter Miami debut.
Messi was recently unveiled as a new Inter Miami player by the club. He is set to make his debut for the team on July 21 against Cruz Azul at the DRV PNK Stadium.
Messi had an offer from Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal and was also linked with a return to Barcelona. However, the Argentine forward decided to move to Inter Miami.
Talking about the changes at Inter Miami, which is owned by Rooney's former teammate David Beckham, the former English striker said (via GOAL):
"Everything is set for him. He’s got all his mates over! [Sergio] Busquets and Jordi Alba have signed for Inter Miami and maybe [Andrés] Iniesta will join them. Luis Suárez too. Messi has a coach [Inter Miami manager Tata Martino] he likes and trusts. It’s huge, especially with what’s going on in Saudi, for the MLS to attract Messi."
Many fans believe that the Argentina captain will find the league easy, given the level of football he has played throughout his career.
Rooney, however, issued a warning to Messi, saying:
"He won’t find it easy here. It sounds mad, but players who come in find it’s a tough league. The travelling, the different conditions in different cities, and there’s a lot of energy and intensity on the pitch."
Rooney added:
"Americans love winners. Above all, they want to see skill and to be entertained, and Messi brings all that."
Lionel Messi joined Inter Miami as a free agent after his Paris Saint-Germain contract expired on June 30. The club will hope that Messi's arrival can bring about a change in their fortunes, as they are currently at the bottom of the Eastern Conference table.
"This is a fantastic opportunity" - Lionel Messi after being announced as an Inter Miami player
Lionel Messi was officially announced as an Inter Miami player recently. While the player communicated his decision with the fans a long time ago, the MLS club made the official announcement on Sunday, July 16.
In a statement, Messi outlined his goals and ambitions at the MLS club. He is keen on working with the team and building the project together. Messi said (via The Evening Standard):
“I’m very excited to start this next step in my career with Inter Miami and in the United States. This is a fantastic opportunity and together we will continue to build this beautiful project. The idea is to work together to achieve the objectives we set, and I’m very eager to start helping here in my new home.”
Lionel Messi's move to Inter Miami has created a massive buzz around the MLS and American Soccer, and should lead to increased viewership for the league.