“I followed him as a boy” - Inter Miami star admits he ‘never anticipated’ playing alongside Lionel Messi

Inter Miami goalkeeper Drake Callender has opened up on playing alongside superstar Lionel Messi. Speaking ahead of the side's pre-season clash against Al-Hilal, Callender also spoke about the side's preparations ahead of the new season.

He said (via press conference):

“Playing with Messi is an amazing feeling. I followed him as a boy and never anticipated playing alongside him, so I am very happy and grateful.”

“The most crucial aspect is that we’re convinced of our team efforts. We’re playing away and aware of their good players, which presents a challenge,” he said.

Callender has grown into a key player for Inter Miami with the arrival of manager Gerardo Martino. He has become the side's first-choice goalkeeper, making 33 appearances last season and even earning a call-up to the national team.

Messi has hugely impacted the landscape of football in the US since joining Inter Miami in the summer of 2023. His arrival has seen the popularity of the sport explode.

He played a vital role last campaign, scoring 10 goals in seven games as Inter Miami won the Leagues Cup. The Argentine superstar will look to guide the team to more silverware in his first full season with them, set to kick off against Real Salt Lake on February 22.

Before that, the Herons have a pair of clashes against Saudi Pro League opposition, facing Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr. They have not had a great pre-season until now, playing out a goalless draw against El Salvador followed by a 1-0 loss to FC Dallas.

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Hristo Stoichkov heaps praise on Lionel Messi for snubbing move to Middle East

The Argentine superstar left PSG to join Inter Miami.

Bulgarian legend Hristo Stoichkov has appreciated Inter Miami superstar Lionel Messi for deciding against a move to the Saudi Pro League. The former Barcelona forward stated that lauded the 36-year-old for not being motivated by money.

Stoichkov said (via SPORTbible):

"The agents take care of the other things. Messi comes to compete and play, and he doesn't care about money because he loves football."

After the forward announced his intention to leave Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) after the end of the 2022-23 season, he had multiple suitors. Among them were his old club Barcelona and a few clubs from the Saudi Pro League.

However, he completed a move to David Beckham's Inter Miami side. He has since helped the club lift its first tropy and played a vital role in increasing the sport's popularity in the country.