When he first trained with Lionel Messi at Inter Miami, Leo Afonso was overwhelmed and “frozen” for 10 seconds, a memorable moment for the young player with the Argentine football legend.
When Lionel Messi joined Inter Miami in the summer of 2023, both Major League Soccer (MLS) and the club entered a new era. Messi not only brought victories to the team, but also completely changed the atmosphere at Inter Miami’s training ground.
One of the young players who joined the team – Leo Afonso, had the opportunity to experience the presence of Messi in his first training session. And in that moment, he was “frozen” for 10 seconds, an unforgettable feeling that every player can feel when encountering a legend for the first time.
Afonso – who was selected for Inter Miami’s first team from the reserve team, shared this moment in a conversation with Nosso Palestra: “I remember the first day I trained with these guys. It was the first training session of the season and the first time Messi passed the ball to me. At that time, I just stood still, I stopped for about 10 seconds. But now I’m more used to seeing them train every day.”
This feeling of being overwhelmed is not uncommon for Afonso, as he is witnessing and learning from legendary seniors such as Messi, Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba.
Messi’s presence has not only affected the team’s style of play, but also raised the standards of each player in the team. Afonso added: “I think the biggest impact they (Messi and his teammates) have had on the team is that now you have to be perfect, you can’t make any mistakes. Even at their age, they expect the best from everyone, so they have definitely raised the standards of the team.”
For Messi and his teammates, every training session became a challenge not only for Afonso but also for the other experienced players. They not only learned to play with legends, but also had to maintain a level of perfection that they had never thought possible before. Afonso admitted that it was Messi and his teammates who changed his perspective on professional football.
The 2024 season was a successful one for Inter Miami as Messi won the MLS MVP award after helping the team win the Supporters’ Shield. However, Messi’s achievements do not stop there. Previously, in 2023, he helped Inter Miami win the first Leagues Cup title in the club’s history. These achievements not only brought glory to the team but also proved Messi’s influence on American football.
Inter Miami – under the leadership of Messi, is now entering a new golden age. Although Afonso and his young teammates still have a lot to learn, the presence of Messi has helped them re-evaluate their roles in the team and improve their individual abilities.
With his achievements, Messi is not only a legend of Barcelona and the Argentina national team but also an icon in MLS. He has helped Inter Miami not only change the sports front but also contribute to building the image of American soccer on the international stage.
