Lionel Messi, the football legend who has spent most of his professional career in Spain and France, is now taking on a new challenge: learning English. Messi's move to Inter Miami, a Major League Soccer (MLS) club in the United States, has necessitated this linguistic shift.
Despite the prevalence of French and Spanish speakers in Florida, Messi has recognized the importance of mastering English to communicate effectively with his new teammates. Inter Miami midfielder Robert Taylor revealed that Messi is currently taking English lessons.
Taylor, a 28-year-old player who is himself learning Spanish, admitted that while their conversational skills are still a work in progress, the language of football transcends verbal communication. "I feel like football is a language where if you link up with someone, you don't necessarily have to speak the same language - you just play well together," Taylor said.
Messi's English proficiency has been a topic of interest since his move to the US. The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner has rarely given interviews in English, preferring to communicate in Spanish throughout his career. However, Inter Miami fullback DeAndre Yedlin noted that Messi's English is "enough to get by as he talks to everyone."
Messi's transition to Inter Miami has been marked by impressive performances. He scored on his debut for the club during a Leagues Cup match against Cruz Azul. In a subsequent game against Atlanta, both Messi and Taylor scored a brace each, with Taylor assisting one of Messi's goals.
Taylor expressed his excitement about playing alongside Messi, describing it as a "dream come true." He lauded Messi's decision-making skills and expressed his eagerness to learn from the football icon.
Adding to the roster of familiar faces at Inter Miami, Messi's former Barcelona teammate Jordi Alba recently joined the club. Alba, along with Messi and Sergio Busquets, trained under the guidance of renowned Argentinian head coach Gerardo Tata Martino.
Inter Miami, co-owned by England legend David Beckham, currently sits at the bottom of the Eastern Conference in MLS. The team is set to face Orlando City in their next match, where Alba could potentially make his debut. Despite the club's current standing, the addition of Messi and his commitment to overcoming language barriers signals a promising future for Inter Miami.
