“He was really kind to me” - MLB legend Jose Bautista says Lionel Messi indirectly inspired him to buy football club

Toronto Blue Jays legend Jose Bautista opened up on meeting Inter Miami superstar Lionel Messi. Speaking on CBS Soccer's Morning Footy show, Bautista spoke about how meeting the 36-year-old was an inspiring event.

He said:

"A good friend introduced me to the whole team, I got a chance to travel and understand their business structure and how they operate, which was a huge learning experience. I wasn't even thinking about this stuff way back then, but meeting all the players was just the icing on the cake. He [Messi] didn't know much about baseball, but he was gracious. I didn't get to talk to him too much but he was really kind to me, so I enjoyed meeting him."

The Dominican has recently purchased a stake in a football team, Las Vegas Lights FC. They currently play in the USL Championship, a tier below Major League Soccer, where Messi currently plies his trade.

Messi has had an overwhelming effect on the popularity of the sport in the US since arriving from Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2023.

---

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo miss out as AI picks out most clutch players

AI platform ChatGPT snubbed both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as it named Diego Maradona as the most clutch player in football history.

While the superstars have had their pick of iconic moments late in the game, ChatGPT pointed to Maradona's 'Hand of God' incident and his performance in the 1986 World Cup.

It had this to say about the former Napoli legend:

"Widely considered one of the greatest footballers of all time, Maradona had a knack for producing exceptional circumstances in crucial moments. His famous, 'Hand of God' and 'Goal of the Century' in the 1986 World Cup quarter-final against England are just a couple of examples."

Lionel Messi finished second behind his idol and fellow countryman, with ChatGPT saying:

"Known for his incredible ability to deliver in important matches, Messi has a long list of crucial goals and performances for both Barcelona and the Argentine national team. He has consistently stepped up in key moments throughout his career."

The Al-Nassr superstar rounded out the top three, with the AI noting his strong goalscoring record for multiple top clubs.

It said:

"Similar to Messi, Ronaldo is renowned for his clutch performances and his ability to score goals in critical situations. He has a remarkable record of scoring in big matches for clubs like Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus and the Portuguese national team."

The pair have etched their name in the history of clutch moments, with the Argentine's 2017 El Clasico winner and the Portuguese star's free-kick against Spain in the 2018 World Cup being notable incidents.