Inter Miami’s Exit from the FIFA Club World Cup
After Inter Miami’s disappointing exit from the FIFA Club World Cup, Zlatan Ibrahimovic came to Lionel Messi’s defense, criticizing the play of Messi’s teammates during the match. In the round of 16, Inter Miami faced a crushing defeat, losing 4-0 to Paris Saint-Germain, Messi’s former club.
Ibrahimovic’s Critique
Ibrahimovic, who previously played alongside Messi at Barcelona, expressed his discontent with the performance of Miami’s players, suggesting they resembled “statues” rather than active soccer players.
“It wasn’t Leo Messi who lost; it was Inter Miami. Messi is surrounded by players who run as if they’re carrying bags of cement. The talent around him is lacking, which prevented fans from witnessing the best version of Messi during this tournament.”
Ibrahimovic highlighted that the version of Messi on display was not reflective of the player he knows well.
“If he were part of a genuine team, he would unleash his full potential. There’s no coaching, no stars, and the players don’t know how to move off the ball. You’d see the real lion if he played with a great team,”
Messi’s Optimism
Despite the setback, Messi maintained an optimistic perspective, noting Miami’s historical achievement in the group stages. The team had previously secured a victory over Porto, making them the first Major League Soccer (MLS) franchise to defeat a European club in official competition, and they were the only MLS team to progress to the knockout phase of this year’s tournament.
“It was the game we expected. We aimed to perform at our best and leave a positive impression on the Club World Cup stage.”
