“He is the best player in the world, he has been good for MLS and his club" - Mario Gotze on Lionel Messi's move to Inter Miami

Eintracht Frankfurt star Mario Gotze shared his opinion on Lionel Messi's move to the MLS club Inter Miami in the summer of 2023. In an interview with Transfermarkt, Gotze hailed Messi as the best player in the world. He said that his move to Inter Miami was great for both the club and the player.

“He is the best player in the world, he has been good for MLS and his club. And I think it was a good move for him as well. I think it is a win-win situation for everyone involved,” Gotze said (via Inter Miami News).

Lionel Messi moved to Inter Miami in the summer of 2023 as a free agent after leaving Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). The Argentine had previously expressed his will to join the MLS and play in the United States. Since his much-hyped transfer to the US, football has gained much more popularity on the continent.

Messi led the Herons to win their first trophy in history after leading them to triumph in the 2023 Leagues Cup. The club is still competing to win the MLS title this year. However, Messi has been out since July due to a crucial ankle injury he picked up during the 2024 Copa America final.

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Inter Miami approached Mario Gotze to join the club before Lionel Messi's transfer in 2023

In his aforementioned interview with Transfermarkt, Mario Gotze revealed that he was approached by Inter Miami to join the club when it was first founded in 2020. However, the German star decided to remain in Europe at that time.

“No, that was the case. I was 28 back then, and my contract in Dortmund ran out. I was in touch with the guys at Inter Miami. We spoke about it then, and it was a possibility,” the attacking midfielder said.

Gotze could still make a move to Inter Miami, especially since Lionel Messi's transfer to the United States has opened up the prospect for many players. Following Messi's transfer, his former Barcelona teammates, Sergio Busquets, Luis Suarez, and Jordi Alba also joined him at the club.

Mario Gotze is best remembered in football for his iconic winning goal for Germany against Lionel Messi's Argentina in the 2014 FIFA World Cup final. However, the German attacker has always been fond of the Argentine. The two clicked a photo after Germany defeated Argentina in the 2014 World Cup that went viral back then.

When Messi finally won the World Cup with Argentina in 2022, Mario Gotze shared a story on his Instagram celebrating the Albiceleste's win with his son.

The German international also shared a fan-made image of a 2022 Messi consoling his caricature from 2014 to celebrate his triumph in the World Cup in Qatar. It remains to be seen whether Gotze will join Lionel Messi in Miami anytime soon, but such a collaboration would be a unique one in football given their history.