"Within a minute, he gets the ball and puts it in the top corner" - MLS star opens up on 'surreal' experience of playing against Lionel Messi

In an interview with Live Score, MLS striker Sam Surridge opened up about his recent encounter with Inter Miami's Lionel Messi during the Leagues Cup final.

Surridge took to the field for Nashville SC in the closely contested showdown against Inter Miami, where the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner now plays. Messi was the instrumental force in the match, sealing victory for his side with a stunning strike and a successful penalty kick in the shootout.

Reminiscing about the match, Surridge told Live Score how he felt playing against the Argentine legend (via GOAL):

"It was quite a surreal experience, especially as it was a final. It was something I didn't think would happen, playing against Messi in a final, so yeah, it was a bit crazy. We felt we should have won with our second-half performance and obviously Messi was the one who scored the equaliser."

The forward went on to share that it appeared as though Messi was almost inconspicuous during portions of the match:

"He wasn't really doing much. At one point, he was just standing on the side of the pitch. And then suddenly within a minute, he gets the ball and puts it in the top corner. That's something he does in games that I can perhaps try and learn from."

Surridge went on to discuss Lionel Messi's impact in the USA:

"But it was all quite incredible, to be honest. After Messi's arrival, you can see how much Major League Soccer is growing and the World Cup in 2026 is also going to play a huge part.”

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Lionel Messi has exceeded expectations for Inter Miami, taking the USA by storm

The Leagues Cup win came just weeks after Lionel Messi's debut Stateside, marking his 44th major career honor. At the age of 36, the Argentinian superstar has already made a significant impact on American soil, scoring 11 goals in 12 appearances for Inter Miami.

His prowess hasn't been limited to the Leagues Cup alone; he also propelled his team to the U.S. Open Cup finals. However, a subsequent injury prevented him from participating in a clash against the Houston Dynamo, which Inter Miami lost.

Despite struggling with fitness, Lionel Messi's influence continues to loom large, both within his team and the league as a whole. He has clocked in only 37 minutes of play in Inter Miami's most recent six fixtures, yet his presence remains a catalyst for the team's impressive performances.

His transition from Europe to the MLS has been nothing short of spectacular.