Inter Miami winger Robert Taylor has revealed what the squad felt when Lionel Messi first arrived at the club.
Messi joined this summer after establishing himself as arguably the greatest soccer player in the history of the game at Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain and arrives at Miami as the biggest signing in MLS history.
For an Inter Miami squad which were rock bottom of the table when he arrived, getting to play alongside the Argentine superstar, as well as Spain legend Sergio Busquets, will cause serious excitement amongst Messi’s new teammates.
Speaking to the Miami Herald, Taylor has revealed what his feelings were when he first met Messi.
“The first time I saw Messi in the changing room, I was like, ‘Whoa, like, this is crazy,’ but I was never intimidated by him, or Busquets because they are such nice guys, always smiling,” Taylor stated.
“If anything, it just makes me so excited to come to training every morning knowing that I can train with these players and be around them and they can make me a better player. Most of the players would agree that it’s just exciting. Everyone wants to play with the best players in the world. And we are privileged enough to be able to do that.”
Messi’s quick impact in Miami
Messi is already having an immediate impact, having scored three goals in his first two appearances for the club, helping end an eleven-match winless run, and his mere presence has seemingly galvanised the rest of the squad.
The 36-year-old grabbed his first assist by setting Taylor up for a finish in the 4-0 victory over Atlanta United, and this may have been one of the biggest moments in Taylor’s career.
Messi’s impact on and off the pitch, and in the MLS as a whole beyond Inter Miami, has already been significant, with ticket sales soaring and the commercial side of the club and league thriving as a result of his arrival.