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Former MLS striker Bradley Wright-Phillips said that he is flabbergasted by Lionel Messi's decision to join the MLS club Inter Miami.
Messi is set to be unveiled as a player for the MLS club on July 16. The Argentine joins the club as a free agent following the expiration of his Paris Saint-Germain contract on June 30. The move is a massive one for the American League as the Argentina captain's move is touted to lift the bar of the league.
Wright-Phillips, who played for clubs like New York Red Bulls, Columbus Crew, Los Angeles FC, scoring 114 goals in the MLS, spoke about Messi's move to the US (via HITC):
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“My first reaction to Messi coming out was I just couldn’t believe it. Honestly, even now until I see him run out on an MLS pitch, I can’t really fathom what it’s going to be. It’s hard to even picture that. Even now it doesn’t seem real to me. It’s Messi!”
Lionel Messi has played for top European clubs like Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain during his career. He is the all-time top scorer in Europe's top five leagues with 496 goals.
Hence, the move to Inter Miami came as a surprise to many, including Wright-Phillips.
Jorge Mas made a bold prediction about Lionel Messi's move to Inter Miami
Lionel Messi is perhaps the biggest superstar to make a move to the MLS. The Argentina captain's move has created a massive buzz in the USA as he arrives at Inter Miami.
The club's billionaire co-owner, Jorge Mas, has claimed that Messi will uplift the standard of the league. He further said that the MLS could become among the top three leagues in the world in Messi's presence. Mas told El Pais:
“In 2019 we started thinking about how we could bring him (to the club). Messi can turn MLS into the second or third best league in the world. I think he will want to make his mark, and he will be able to do it beyond football.”
Messi will be joined by former Barcelona teammate Sergio Busquets at Inter Miami. Former Barca coach Gerardo Martino, meanwhile, was recently appointed as the club's new manager.
