‘Lionel Messi just another player, has two legs & two eyes’: Argentine legend warned before Inter Miami debut

Lionel Messi is set to play his first game for Inter Miami on July 21 when the Major League Soccer side host Mexico’s Cruz Azul in their Leagues Cup opener.
Messi’s arrival is being hailed as “the seminal moment” in the hory of U.S. soccer as MLS aspires to be one of the best leagues in the world.
However, Cruz Azul midfielder Erik Lira and his team are not overawed the occasion and will treat it as just another game.
The Mexican also warned and said, ‘As long as he has two legs and two eyes, he’s just another player.’
“It’s a unique opportunity. It’s a new tournament, we have to fight for it,” the 23-year-old was quoted as saying dailymail.co.uk.
“As long as he has two legs and two eyes, he’s just another player,” he told reporters.
“But the truth is it’s just another game for us, (manager) Tuca Ferretti tells us that Messi is just another player – obviously he’s a bit imposing, but we’re going to win,” he added.
Meanwhile, Messi’s first game in a Miami jersey will likely be the most expensive MLS game on record, Kyle Zorn, brand manager at TickPick, told Reuters.

On June 9 2023, Messi had revealed that he is about to make the move to Miami.
“I made the decision that I’m going to go to Miami,” Messi said in an interview with Mundo Deportivo and Sport newspapers.
“I still haven’t closed it 100%. I’m still missing a few things, but we decided to go ahead. If Barcelona didn’t work out, I wanted to leave Europe, get out of the spotlight and think more about my family.”
“After winning the World Cup and not being able to go to Barca, it was time to go to the U.S. league to experience football in a different way and enjoy the day-to-day,” Messi said.
“Obviously with the same responsibility and desire to want to win and to always do things well. But with more peace of mind.”
(With Reuters inputs)