Former USMNT star Taylor Twellman shared an absurd story highlighting Lionel Messi's 'normal' side following the Argentine icon's move to Inter Miami.
The 36-year-old World Cup winner opted to join the Herons in the summer of 2023 once his contract ran out at Paris Saint-Germain. Despite being a global sensation and one of the most popular figures in the world, Messi seemingly has a simple side to his personality.
Sharing a story of when the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner went searching to get his haircut, Twellman told the Rich Eisen Show (via GOAL):
"I’m walking around town and I step into this barber’s shop. It’s kind of busy. I walk in and there is Messi stuff all over. Apparently, this is the shop where he first needed a hair cut. He walked in, with two of his boys, waited in line and was like ‘hey, I’d like to get cleaned up’. That’s how normal he is."
"It’s the most absurd thing. This is a global superstar. He’s on the same par as Taylor Swift. He’s walking into a barber’s shop, waiting and all the barbers are looking and going ‘who’s the 5’7 dude that just walked in looking like Messi and asking to get cleaned up?’” he added.
Since his move to the MLS, Messi has scored 11 goals and assisted six in 15 matches across competitions. Expect him to feature for Inter Miami in their next league tie against LA Galaxy on Sunday (February 25).
Lionel Messi reacts on social media after helping Inter Miami win MLS opener
Lionel Messi started Inter Miami's MLS opener against Real Salt Lake on Wednesday (February 21) after doubts over the Argentina captain's fitness. Despite failing to score, Messi bagged an assist for Robert Taylor and the Herons' first goal of the league campaign.
He wrote after the match on his Instagram account, along with a series of pictures from the night:
"We start with a win!!"
Inter Miami will be looking to better their MLS performance from last season, which saw them finish 14th in the Eastern Conference. Messi and company were nine points behind Charlotte FC, who occupied the final playoff berth.
However, they did manage to win the Leagues Cup last season, which saw Messi score 10 goals and assist one in just seven appearances. With Luis Suarez's addition in January, Inter Miami could be a more threatening proposition this time.