"I didn't know what to expect from him" - Inter Miami star Victor Ulloa highlights Lionel Messi quality that surprises him the most

Inter Miami star Victor Ulloa has said that Lionel Messi's humility is what has surprised him the most. The Argentina captain joined the MLS club as a free agent this summer.

Ulloa said that he didn't know what to expect from Messi when the Argentine joined the club. In a recent interview (quotes as transcribed from AS USA), he said:

"The truth is that what surprised me most is his humility. To make the decision to come here, to share with us, and try to be another person. It has been something that surprised me. I didn’t know what to expect from him. I was a little nervous because he is Leo Messi. But not now.

"Now I am calm. He arrives every day. He works. But most of all, his humility. His humility as a person, another person, one more player for us. In reality, well, he is a very important player for us. We hope he continues to help us to finish the year the way we want."

Lionel Messi is set to miss Inter Miami's next game, as he is currently on international duty for Argentina at the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. About the prospect of replacing Messi, Ulloa said:

"You can't replace a player like him, but we must use the confidence that the team has, the result we have achieving, and continue."

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What Victor Ulloa said about being teammates with Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba

Lionel Messi is not the only legendary superstar who has joined Inter Miami this summer. The likes of Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets have also joined the American club.

All three superstars have played at the highest level of the game. Speaking about sharing the pitch with the trident, Ulloa said in his aforementioned interview:

'Having Leo, having Busi, having Jordi on the team has really elevated everybody's confidence. And you can see on the field that everyone’s a different player than they were a couple of months ago. I am just happy, enjoying the ride, enjoying the moment, enjoying the training every single day and the experiences we have in the locker room off the field, travelling with these guys.

"And just loving to hear their experiences and everything they have gone through. They are ambassadors of the game, and the results on the field are attributed to them but also to the rest of the teammates who have stepped up their games."

The presence of Lionel Messi, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets has helped Inter Miami improve significantly. They have won the Leagues Cup, reached the US Open Cup final and are off the foot of the MLS Eastern Conference, going unbeaten in their last 11 games across competitions.