GOAL asked several MLS All-Stars about Lionel Messi adjusting to the U.S. and how players will defend him.
Lionel Messi has arrived in MLS. It's still hard to really believe, isn't it? On Friday, he'll put on an Inter Miami shirt for the first time for his debut in the Leagues Cup, kickstarting an American adventure that still feels surreal.
And it isn't just surreal to the American public, who are now preparing themselves for the Messi era. It's also come as a major lift to players across MLS, who will now get a chance to play with and against a player that many consider the greatest of all time.
Players across MLS are thrilled by the idea of facing off with the Argentine star, with many of the league's younger stars growing up idolizing Messi. Some of MLS' more decorated players, meanwhile, are excited about the idea of seeing another world-class star help elevate the league to a new level.
It won't be easy, though. Life in MLS has its challenges, even for Messi. He'll need to make some major adjustments if he wants to thrive in a league that is unlike any other in the world.
Ahead of the MLS All-Star Game, GOAL caught up with several players to discuss Messi's arrival and what it takes to adjust to life in MLS.
Getty Images'A pinch-me moment'
John Tolkin grew up idolizing Messi. As a left-footer himself, the New York Red Bulls and U.S. men's national team fullback studied the ex-Barcelona star growing up. In his youth, Tolkin was drawn to lefties, and what better left-footer is there than Messi?
Now a 20-year-old homegrown MLS star, Tolkin has a very real chance of facing the player he grew up idolizing. The Red Bulls host Inter Miami on August 26, and there's a very real chance that he goes head-to-head with Messi at some point in that match.
"I expect packed stadiums and a lot of security and a lot of pitch invaders," joked Tolkin. "It's pretty insane. My Instagram and Twitter feed, you can't miss that he's here. I think it's so good for the league and for the country just to try and grow soccer as it is.
"If I'm able to step on the field with him, that'll definitely be a pinch-me moment and I definitely won't believe it for a pretty long time. At the same time, though, I want to beat him! That would be pretty cool to say: I beat Messi."
AdvertisementGettyGetting stuck in against a god
Despite what he said above, Tolkin isn't planning on just standing there starstruck when the whistle blows at Red Bulls Arena. No, he's there to compete.
Several European stars have received harsh welcomes to MLS. David Beckham, Messi's new boss at Inter Miami, was famously clattered by Jesse Marsch, sparking a melee between the LA Galaxy and Chivas USA. Messi will, no doubt, get a welcome-to-MLS moment, at one point or another, from a player on a far smaller salary than him.
Tolkin isn't going to be two-footing Messi any time soon, though, and the hope is there are no brawls like the one between Beckham and Marsch. However, the Red Bulls fullback does say he plans on doing whatever it takes to slow Messi down.
"He's like a god," Tolkin begins with a laugh, "but I want to get stuck in, you know what I'm saying? I've really been thinking about that, how to approach that, but in the end, I want to win. If I have to make a tackle or a tactical foul here or there, it's going to happen!"
Twttier.comAn easy adjustment to American life
One of the aspects of MLS that is so enticing is the draw of American life. For superstars of Messi's caliber, the U.S. is a place where he can find some form of normalcy. We've already seen one example of that, as Messi was recently spotted at a Publix grocery store in a scene that would have looked much different in Europe.
While life in the U.S. can be so different than life in Europe, it can also offer players a unique feeling of home. That's what Atlanta United star Giorgos Giakoumakis has experienced since arriving from Celtic earlier this year.
"The Greeks and Americans have many things in common," he said. "We share the same cultural things and everything from the lifestyle and their sense of humor about everything. You can imagine that I even struggled a little bit when I was back in Scotland, but here I don't feel that.
"The people of the club also played their part because they helped me so much, so much. I will always be grateful to them because coming to other parts of the world is never easy. Even if you share the same culture, it's not easy, but they made it really easy for me and my family."
Messi will benefit from those same aspects of American life. Miami, in particular, has a large South American population that should make the Argentine feel right at home. MLS, as a league, also has such a strong Argentinian influence that many clubs even hold asado barbecues for team bonding.
Giakoumakis, meanwhile, has only limited experience with Greek cuisine in America as he's taking his time to enjoy the other food the U.S. has to offer.
"I can tell you maybe yes. [the Greek food in the U.S. is good], and maybe you're gonna ask another Greek guy and he says no," the Atlanta United star said. "I don't think the quality is the same, like the proper Greek, but that's something really objective! I feel that I don't need to try Greek food across the country because I'm here to try something different, but wherever I'm back in Greece, I'm going to eat only Greek food. That's a fact!"
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GettyGet ready for the travel
Ask any player, past or present, that has arrived in MLS what their least favorite part of it was and you'll likely get the same answer. They're going to say the travel.
It's something that makes MLS unique because no other league in the world has to deal with anything like this. The trip from Miami to Vancouver, for example, is twice the distance from London to Moscow. North America is a big continent and, for many players, the travel schedule can be overwhelming.
Fortunately for Messi, the league has gotten better with travel. He surely won't be sitting in economy seats next to the general public. Still, there's no way to make six or seven hour flights an exciting part of the job.
"Oh, it's the travel," Giakoumakis said. "Not that much nowadays, but before, they didn't have any charters so they had to fly for like four days when they were playing away games! Especially like Atlanta to LA, it's a long flight."
Messi is obviously used to long flights, having spent his entire career flying from Europe to South America for international games. Miami's location probably played some part in his decision, as it'll make the trips back to Argentina much easier as he looks to prolong his international career.
It's not just the travel that will surprise Messi, though, but what he walks into once he lands.