Messi gesture sums him up as teammates "surprised" by behaviour in dressing room

24 August 2023 , 10:03

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Messi gesture sums him up as teammates "surprised" by behaviour in dressing room

Lionel Messi has made a huge impact on and off the pitch since joining Inter Miami this summer while he continues to show why he is such a class act.

The Argentine superstar has bagged 10 goals in his eight matches for the US side, while also adding another three direct goal assists. He has already bagged his first piece of silverware with the Leagues Cup while he has helped guide Tata Martino’s side to another final.

On Thursday, Inter Miami defeated Cincinnati on penalties in the US Open Cup after a thrilling 3-3 draw in which the 36-year-old put in another inspirational performance – providing two assists and netting his effort in the shootout.

That means that his side have now won eight matches in succession – albeit, three of them have been secured with penalty shootout triumphs after draws – and continues to justify the club’s decision to go all-out for Messi’s signature.

Messi is accustomed to winning and it is little surprise his hunger for success has continued in the US, but his actions after Thursday’s penalty shootout win helped summed up his character. Immediately after the shootout, he went to greet his fellow Argentine Luciano Acosta – his opponent on the night.

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Acosta has never been involved in the Argentina international setup but has been one of the top performers in MLS across the past several seasons. He opened the scoring in this game, but it was ultimately to end in a heartbreaking penalty shootout loss for his Cincinnati side.

However, Acosta will have been cheered by Messi seeking him out after the game and initiating a shirt swap – while also greeting the player’s son – a youth footballer – with a pat on the head, before handing the forward a priceless memento from the game.

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Messi put in another starring performance for Inter Miami against Cincinnati (Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

Messi may be one of the most talented footballers of all time but he is not like many other big-name players, with a shy personality and someone who is of few words. This was detailed by his former Paris Saint-Germain teammate Achraf Hakimi, who opened up on being taken aback by Messi’s personality.

Back in 2021, just months after the two players were united together in the French capital, the wing-back explained that he found it easy to strike up a relationship with Messi and added: "I was surprised by the way he behaved, he is simple, quiet."

This weekend, Messi will make his long-awaited MLS debut as Inter Miami take on New York Red Bulls as they look to climb off the bottom spot in the standings and translate their cup successes into the league.

Colin Millar