Inter Miami head coach Guillermo Hoyos has assured his team’s fans that they will again witness Lionel Messi assisting his teammates in the ongoing 2026 season.
Since the start of the new season earlier in February, Messi has operated mostly in a second striker role and helped his club with his goalscoring. The 38-year-old has yet to register an assist, but has found the back of the opposition net eight times in 11 total club games this year.
Thanks for the submission!
During a pre-match press conference, newly appointed Herons head coach Hoyos claimed that he is thrilled to coach the Argentine-captained side. He said (h/t AS):
“There’s not a day where I am not excited. Today I woke up extremely excited because we are soccer. We love soccer. We are soccer people. It is a beautiful profession. I thank God for where we are standing. It is a blessing.”
Hoyos, who previously coached at Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy between 2003 and 2005, was asked whether his captain will soon be seen as a playmaker. The 62-year-old responded:
“At some point, we will see that version of Lionel Messi again.”
Since joining the Major League Soccer (MLS) club on a Bosman move in 2023, the Argentina legend has been a revelation for Inter Miami. He has provided 44 assists in 99 appearances across competitions for his current team, bagging 85 goals and winning three trophies as well.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner will next be in action in the Herons’ MLS contest against Orlando City at home this Saturday (May 2).
Ex-Premier League manager picks between Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona
During a recent chat on The Overlap, United States men’s national team (USMNT) manager Mauricio Pochettino was queried to pick between Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona. He replied (h/t Tribuna):
“It would be unfair on my part to judge because I was very close to Maradona; as a child, I had an emotional connection with him that I didn’t have with Messi. When I met him, I was already 50 years old. For me, both of them are in the top five in history. But comparing them is impossible.”
Pochettino, 54, began his playing career at Newell’s Old Boys and shared the pitch with Maradona for one campaign. Both players left the Argentine club in 1994, with the former joining La Liga team Espanyol and the latter moving to Boca Juniors for a final flourish to a stellar career.
Edited by Debkalpa Banerjee
