"The truth is, I'm a little tired" – Lionel Messi breaks silence after scoring twice on Inter Miami return
Inter Miami superstar Lionel Messi has opened up on playing after two months following his brace in his club's recent 3-1 Major League Soccer (MLS) win over Philadelphia Union.
Earlier on Saturday (September 14), the Argentine returned to the Herons' starting lineup after around 14 weeks. After Mikael Uhre's second-minute opener in Miami, he equalized with a right-footed shot in the 26th minute. The 37-year-old scored again four minutes later before assisting Luis Suarez in the dying moments of the contest.
After the end of the league clash, Messi was asked to share his honest thoughts on his sensational return to first-team action. The former Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) star replied (h/t X/@WeAreMessi):
"The truth is, I'm a little tired because of the humidity and the heat of Miami. I wanted to come back to play after so long. We know the squad we have, we are first and we take charge. Due to injuries, we have not been able to compete but we have responded and today, we won deservedly."
Messi, who injured his right ankle in the Copa America final earlier this July, will be aiming to remain fit for the rest of Inter Miami's ongoing campaign. Should he stay available for selection, he could guide Gerardo Martino's side to their maiden MLS Cup glory this year.
So far, the 2022 FIFA World Cup winner has scored 27 goals and laid out 17 assists in 30 games across competitions for Inter Miami.
Argentina legend backs Lionel Messi to play in next World Cup, lauds Inter Miami player
Argentina and Boca Juniors icon Juan Roman Riquelme has made a confident claim about Lionel Messi's potential participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. He said (h/t Newsbit24.com):
"He is continually reinventing himself. You never know what he might do. I have no doubt he will play in the next World Cup. We will do everything we can to make it happen."
Riquelme, who represented Argentina 51 times as a player, added:
"I talk to him, but I don't bother him too much; we keep in touch. That's why I believe he will play in the World Cup. He's exceptional, not normal. He loves to compete and wants to win."
The Argentina captain last featured in a La Albiceleste match earlier this July. He was substituted off with an ankle injury in his national team's 1-0 Copa America final win over Colombia in Miami, United States.
So far, the left-footed forward has found the back of the opposition net 109 times and provided 58 assists in 187 matches for Argentina.