Football icon Lionel Messi has opened up about the two individuals who have left the deepest mark on his journey in the sport.

Now 37 and dazzling fans in the MLS with Inter Miami, Messi is widely hailed as one of the greatest players of all time. But even legends have their mentors and inspirations.

In a candid interview, the Argentine captain revealed that Pep Guardiola and Ronaldinho were the two figures who shaped his footballing path the most.

According to Give Me Sport, Messi praised Guardiola—his former coach at Barcelona—for completely changing the way he saw football. Under Pep’s guidance, Messi reached unprecedented heights, winning numerous titles and evolving into the phenomenon the world came to admire.

“Pep had a huge impact,” Messi said. “He was my coach for many years, and we achieved things together that we never imagined. He gave me a new perspective on the game.”

But before Pep came into the picture, it was the magic and warmth of Ronaldinho that guided a young Messi through his early days in Barcelona’s first team.

“Ronaldinho was crucial,” Messi shared. “The way he welcomed me, supported me—it meant a lot during my first steps with the senior squad. He even assisted my very first goal.”

Messi also took a moment to mention other important teammates and friends, including Andres Iniesta, Xavi, and his current Inter Miami colleagues Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba, and Luis Suarez, all of whom have played vital roles on and off the pitch.

He also offered a heartfelt tribute to the late Tito Vilanova, calling him a deeply missed figure in his life and career.

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FIFA has announced the 11 nominees for the highly anticipated 2024 Best FIFA Men’s Player award. The nominees were selected based on performances between August 23, 2023, and August 10, 2024.

Votes from fans, football experts, national team coaches, captains, and journalists will determine the winner of the coveted accolade.

Last year’s winner, Lionel Messi, returns to the shortlist following another remarkable season. Messi led Argentina to Copa America glory and achieved domestic success in the United States, winning the 2023 Leagues Cup and the 2024 Supporters’ Shield with Inter Miami.

Notably, Messi is the only nominee representing a club outside Europe.

Real Madrid dominates the list with five players nominated. The reigning La Liga and Champions League champions are represented by Kylian Mbappé, Jude Bellingham, Vinícius Júnior, Dani Carvajal, and Federico Valverde. Former Real Madrid star Toni Kroos, who retired this summer, also features on the list, highlighting his enduring impact on the sport.

Manchester City also boasts two nominees. Ballon d’Or winner Rodri is expected to be a strong contender, while Erling Haaland’s phenomenal goal-scoring form ensures his place as a serious challenger for the award.

Barcelona’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal earns recognition after a breakthrough season. The 17-year-old played a pivotal role in Spain’s Euro 2024 triumph and claimed the prestigious Kopa Trophy during the October Ballon d’Or ceremony.

Rounding out the nominees is Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz. The young German midfielder’s standout performances for both club and country have solidified his reputation as one of football’s brightest stars.

With a mix of seasoned veterans and emerging talents, the 2024 Best FIFA Men’s Player award promises a thrilling competition. Fans and experts alike will eagerly await the final results at the forthcoming awards ceremony.

The Best FIFA Men’s Player 2024 nominees

• Lionel Messi (Inter Miami)
• Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid)
• Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid)
• Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid)
• Dani Carvajal (Real Madrid)
• Federico Valverde (Real Madrid)
• Toni Kroos (Retired)
• Rodri (Manchester City)
• Erling Haaland (Manchester City)
• Lamine Yamal (Barcelona)
• Florian Wirtz (Bayer Leverkusen)

🚨 OFFICIAL: The Best FIFA Men’s Player 2024 nominees released tonight. ✨ pic.twitter.com/fWRa8BJhgJ

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) November 28, 2024

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Below is a detailed breakdown of the top earners in football for the year 2024, taking into account their on-field salaries as well as off-field earnings from endorsements and business ventures.

Top 10 Highest-Paid Footballers in 2024:

10. Kevin De Bruyne

– Age: 33 | Club: Manchester City | Nationality: Belgium
– On-Field: $35 million • Off-Field: $4 million
De Bruyne earns a total of $39 million annually, with $35 million coming from his playing contract with Manchester City and an additional $4 million from endorsements with brands like Nike, McDonald’s, and Credit Karma.

9. Sadio Mane

– Age: 32 | Club: Al Nassr | Nationality: Senegal
– On-Field: $48 million • Off-Field: $4 million
Mane’s move to Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia significantly increased his earnings, making him one of the highest-paid players globally with a $48 million salary and $4 million from endorsements.

8. Mohamed Salah

– Age: 32 | Club: Liverpool | Nationality: Egypt
– On-Field: $35 million • Off-Field: $18 million
Salah remains a vital part of Liverpool’s success, earning $35 million from his playing contract and $18 million from endorsements, bringing his total to $53 million.

7. Vinicius Junior

– Age: 24 | Club: Real Madrid | Nationality: Brazil
– On-Field: $40 million • Off-Field: $15 million
Vinicius Jr. has become one of football’s top earners, with a $40 million salary and $15 million from brand deals, including PlayStation and Pepsi.

6. Erling Haaland

– Age: 24 | Club: Manchester City | Nationality: Norway
-On-Field: $46 million • Off-Field: $14 million
Haaland, Manchester City’s prolific scorer, earns $46 million in wages and $14 million through endorsements, totalling $60 million annually.

5. Kylian Mbappe

– Age: 25 | Club: Real Madrid | Nationality: France
-On-Field: $70 million • Off-Field: $20 million
After his high-profile move to Real Madrid, Mbappe earns $70 million on the field, with an additional $20 million from endorsements. His total earnings reach $90 million.

4. Karim Benzema

-Age: 36 | Club: Al Ittihad | Nationality: France
-On-Field: $100 million • Off-Field: $4 million
Benzema’s move to Saudi Arabia’s Al Ittihad landed him a $100 million salary and $4 million from endorsement deals.

3. Neymar

– Age: 32 | Club: Al Hilal | Nationality: Brazil
-On-Field: $80 million • Off-Field: $30 million
Neymar’s switch to Al Hilal in Saudi Arabia earns him $80 million on the pitch, complemented by $30 million from endorsements and sponsorships.

2. Lionel Messi

-Age: 37 | Club: Inter Miami | Nationality: Argentina
-On-Field: $60 million • Off-Field: $75 million
With his move to Inter Miami, Messi earns $60 million on the field, along with $75 million off the field through his endorsements and business ventures.

1. Cristiano Ronaldo

-Age: 39 | Club: Al Nassr | Nationality: Portugal
-On-Field: $220 million • Off-Field: $65 million
Ronaldo tops the list as the highest-paid footballer in the world, earning a staggering $220 million from his playing contract with Al Nassr and $65 million from off-field endorsements.

These players dominate the sport and leverage their global appeal to maximize earnings through brand partnerships and business ventures.

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In a recent interview with ESPN, Lionel Messi confirmed that Inter Miami will be the last club of his storied career.

Despite acknowledging that he is not yet ready to retire, Messi stated, “Inter Miami will be my last club, yes. As of today, it’s going to be my last one.” He expressed his ongoing love for football and his awareness that his playing days are gradually winding down.

Messi also revealed that winning the 2022 World Cup in Qatar influenced his decision to leave Europe for Major League Soccer (MLS).

He signed with Inter Miami on July 15, 2023, after two seasons with Paris Saint-Germain. This move is considered the biggest signing in MLS history.

In his debut season with Inter Miami, Messi won the Leagues Cup alongside former Barcelona teammates Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets. Although Miami did not qualify for the MLS Playoffs, they currently lead the Eastern Conference with 18 games played.

Messi’s departure from Barcelona was a significant and emotional moment in sports history. His tenure at PSG felt out of place for many, as he was expected to spend his entire senior career in Spain. The transition to MLS sparked immense interest in the league, particularly with the addition of other former Barcelona players and the signing of Luis Suarez this season.

While it might be premature to put an end date on Messi’s career, his statement about Miami being his last club adds a sense of finality. It also temporarily closes the door on a potential reunion with Barcelona.

Messi and the Argentine national team, La Albiceleste, are focused on defending their Copa America title this summer. Winning another major international trophy would further solidify Messi’s legacy, following his victories in the Copa America and the World Cup in consecutive years.

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Lionel Messi has clinched his first-ever MLS Player of the Month award following an exceptional April performance for Inter Miami.

The Argentine maestro’s impact was profound, as he contributed to 10 goals throughout the month, guiding the Herons to an undefeated streak in league play. With three wins and one draw under his belt, Messi showcased his brilliance with six goals and four assists in just four matches.

Returning from injury in early April after missing four games, Messi wasted no time making his mark in the MLS. His outstanding form not only propelled him into contention for the MLS Golden Boot Race but also positioned him as an early frontrunner for the coveted 2024 MLS MVP title.

The MLS Player of the Month accolade is determined through a voting process conducted by a panel of select national media members overseen by MLS Communications.

Inter Miami continues to shine on the MLS stage, securing back-to-back Player of the Month awards, with Suarez claiming the honor in February/March.

In their upcoming MLS clash, the Herons are set to face off against the New York Red Bulls, promising an electrifying Eastern Conference showdown between the top-ranked Miami and third-ranked RBNY.

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Lionel Messi conveyed a message to Inter Miami fans following their thrilling loss to Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal in the Riyadh Season Cup on Monday.

Despite the defeat against Al-Hilal, where both Messi and new teammate Luis Suarez scored goals, Inter Miami is intensifying their preparations for the upcoming season. Messi, who netted his first goal of the pre-season campaign with a penalty in the 54th minute at Kingdom Arena, maintained a grounded tone in a social media post after the match.

The 36-year-old Argentine World Cup winner took to Instagram and wrote, “Seguimos preparándonos…” which translates to “We continue to prepare…”.

 

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A post shared by Leo Messi (@leomessi)

Even though this was a loss, preseason games usually don’t have much of an impact on the outcome of a campaign. Messi, who led the American team to a League Cup victory last season with 11 goals in 14 games, will be looking to get off to a solid start as Miami kicks off their MLS campaign on February 21.

Miami’s preseason schedule features games against Al-Nassr, led by Cristiano Ronaldo, on Thursday, Hong Kong XI on February 4, and Vissel Kobe three days later. On February 15, they play their final friendly match against Newell’s Old Boys. A week later, they host Real Salt Lake to begin their Major League Soccer career.

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Inter Miami has officially announced the squad numbers for the upcoming 2024 MLS season, assigning jerseys to notable players such as Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.

Following their historic Leagues Cup victory in 2023, just weeks after Messi, an eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, joined the team in a sensational move to the United States, Inter Miami is poised to pursue further major silverware in the upcoming campaign.

Before competitive matches kick off, Inter Miami has a series of friendly encounters, including the club’s inaugural international tour and high-profile matches against teams like Vissel Kobe, Newell’s Old Boys, and Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr.

The club has disclosed the players’ jersey numbers for these games on its official website. Notably, Messi retains his iconic No.10 shirt, while newcomer Suarez will be sporting No.9. Additionally, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba will continue with No.5 and No.18, respectively, and USMNT star Julian Gressel will don No.24.

Inter Miami’s first pre-season match in 2024, featuring Messi in their traveling squad, is scheduled against El Salvador on Friday. Subsequently, they will face domestic rivals FC Dallas on Monday before embarking on a tour that includes stops in Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong, and Japan.

The tour concludes with a match against Newell’s on home turf, leading up to the commencement of the new MLS season on February 21.

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David Beckham has acknowledged that there was a point where Barcelona’s interest in Lionel Messi had him concerned as Inter Miami vigorously pursued the Argentine icon.

Messi became available in the summer of 2023, with his contract at Paris Saint-Germain nearing its end, making him a free agent. Ultimately, Messi chose to join MLS, but not before Barcelona made a substantial effort to bring him back to his spiritual home in Catalunya, causing some apprehension for Beckham and Inter Miami.

The Manchester United legend, who made his own move to America when joining the LA Galaxy in 2007, added: “The same as with me, I see Leo’s involvement in the league a lot longer than his playing time. We are very keen to keep him to help attract players and be involved with the football development of the club and football in the US. I think that will be a lot of fun for him as it’s been for me.”

In 2024, Lionel Messi is anticipating a more enjoyable experience as Inter Miami sets its sights on major silverware. Despite being an eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, Messi won’t be subjected to the same formalities expected of others. When asked if the football legend has to address him as “boss,” David Beckham responded, “Some of them call me that. But I don’t make any demands of Leo, and I don’t need to.”

Messi’s last competitive appearance in 2023 was in Argentina’s thrilling 2026 World Cup qualifying victory over Brazil at the Maracana. His return to the pitch is scheduled for Inter Miami’s pre-season ahead of the 2024 MLS campaign, with friendly matches potentially lined up against teams like Newell’s Old Boys and Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr.

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Inter Miami’s pursuit of Luis Suarez, aiming to reunite the Gremio striker with former Barcelona teammates Lionel Messi, Jordi Alba, and Sergio Busquets in the MLS, may come to fruition before 2024.

According to El Pais, a deal could be finalized in December, marking a potential reunion of the talented players.

Suarez, who is 36 years old, confirmed that the MLS side had been in contact with his club in Porto Alegre earlier this year. Emails have been exchanged between Miami and Gremio to discuss a one-year deal for Suarez with an option to extend, as per the latest report.

Suarez is set to visit Miami in December to discuss contractual details with the club. In preparation for his potential arrival, the Herons have already released star forward Josef Martinez.

Luis Suarez has agreed to join Inter Miami in 2024! ✅

The deal will be closed in December when he is scheduled to make a trip to Miami. 🇺🇸

(El Pais)

THE REUNION IS ON! 🇦🇷🐐🇺🇾 pic.twitter.com/gDvOtU2cck

— Footy Accumulators (@FootyAccums) November 1, 2023

Despite dealing with knee complications, Suarez has been finding success in Brazil. He joined Gremio in December 2022 and has scored 17 goals in 37 appearances, showcasing his enduring quality as a striker.

‘Many things can happen until the end of the year,’ Gremio president Alberto Guerra said of Suarez’s situation.

‘We are very focused on the search for classification (a la Libertadores). At the right time, if the opportunity arises (to negotiate with Suárez), we will talk.

‘Of course we want him to stay, but specifically the latest update is that he will leave at the end of the year.’

Although his time with Gremio is looking to be short-lived, Suarez expressed his gratitude towards the club and it’s fans.

‘I committed to the club to try to play as many games as I can,’ Suarez said ‘It is my way of thanking them for their effort. There were days of training after the games when Renato told me not to go to train, to rest, and I went because the commitment to the club is 100 percent.’

Luis Suarez made a significant impact during his time at Barcelona, where he scored an impressive 198 goals between 2014 and 2020. One year after joining the club from Liverpool, Suarez played a pivotal role in Barcelona’s historic five-trophy season in 2015, leaving a lasting legacy at the club.

Inter Miami’s signing of Lionel Messi in a record-breaking deal in 2023 paved the way for potential reunions with Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets. While Inter Miami narrowly missed the MLS Playoffs, Messi’s arrival helped the team secure the League Cup and reach the US Open Cup final, marking a successful debut season for the Argentine superstar in MLS.

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With Inter Miami, Lionel Messi hopes to achieve treble success in 2023. The Argentinean is aiming to “win the league” after keeping his MLS Cup hopes alive.

The Argentine superstar has already inspired his new club to a historic Leagues Cup crown, with the 44th trophy of his record-breaking career captured within weeks of his arrival in the United States. He has since helped to book a place in the final of the U.S. Open Cup.

Although winning the MLS title may be more difficult because Inter Miami is still eight points below the play-off pace, Messi has already demonstrated that everything is possible when he is on the field.

He told MLS Season Pass after registering two assists in a 3-1 win over LAFC: “The group is growing more. I’ve been saying it since the beginning of all of this, we were lucky to get in a tournament and get to a final. Now, we’re going to look to hit the objective of being among the best eight to try and win the league. This is the way. We continue growing and obviously winning provides a lot of confidence.”

Since Messi joined Inter Miami, they have gone undefeated in 11 games across all competitions, and the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner was happy to see that streak continue during a difficult trip to California to face the MLS Cup champions.

He added: “We had spoken about it before the game, that it would be a good test for us to see where we really are and what we’re capable of. It was a difficult place to play on against a very good rival, the current champions. We walk away with a very important result for what’s coming.”

Inter Miami returns to action next Saturday evening when they host Sporting Kansas City. They have nine more MLS games remaining, with the goal of accumulating enough points from those games to ensure safe passage into the postseason.

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The Argentine superstar had a quiet opening 60 minutes but came alive in the 70th and 97th minutes to force extra time. The Herons held their composure in the penalty shoot-out to secure a thrilling victory over Cincinnati, putting them on the verge of earning a second championship this season.

Beckham, the club’s co-owner, was overjoyed with his men’s performance and expressed his delight on social media by praising the entire team.

He wrote: “Another great night in pink. A great performance from the team to reach another final @intermiamicf very proud.”

 

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A post shared by David Beckham (@davidbeckham)

Since joining the Florida team, Messi has been in superhuman form, and this was his ninth straight game for Inter Miami with either a goal or an assist. He is currently aiming to capture his 45th career trophy for club and country.

Messi will play in his debut MLS game on Saturday night for Inter Miami against the New York Red Bulls.

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Lionel Messi’s impact on Inter Miami was undeniable, leading to their League Cup victory, according to Nashville manager Gary Smith, who acknowledged the transformation brought about by Messi’s presence.

Throughout the tournament, the 36-year-old Argentine had showcased his exceptional skills and influence on Inter Miami’s performance. In the final match, Messi’s brilliance was on full display as he not only opened the scoring with a magnificent curling shot but also contributed to his team’s overall gameplay. This goal marked his 10th goal in just seven games.

Despite Messi’s efforts, the match didn’t end in regulation time, and the final outcome was determined through a dramatic penalty shootout, with Inter Miami ultimately prevailing 10-9.

Nashville manager Gary Smith recognized the immense challenge posed by facing Messi and Inter Miami. He admitted that his team struggled to contain Messi’s influence on the game and acknowledged the transformation Messi had brought to Inter Miami since joining the team in Florida the previous month.

“It was going to be a difficult one going into the game,” the Nashville manager told talkSPORT.

“Amazingly, Miami have been transformed in this last month, five weeks, the addition of Messi as you know and [Sergio] Busquets and [Jordi] Alba have made such a difference to that team.

“So we knew it was going to be a tough one but the guys put in a wonderful performance and I think when you go to penalties and the goalkeepers are going to be the difference, you know that it’s the finest of margins.”

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