Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano admitted he is surprised at Lionel Messi’s desire to win after the MLS side shocked Porto at the Club World Cup on Thursday.
Veteran playmaker Messi curled home a fine free-kick in a man-of-the-match performance at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, the winning goal in Miami’s 2-1 Group A victory over their Portuguese opponents.
Mascherano said his Argentine compatriot’s competitive spirit at 37 was more surprising to him than the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner’s quality.
“Beyond his goal… he’s a player who shows us how to compete, his hunger, his desire to continue competing at whatever level it is,” Mascherano told reporters. “In a footballing sense, what else is there to say? He’s the best player that has played this sport in its history, but what is surprising is his will to win. Today, even in the last minutes, tired, with a knock, he kept helping the team in any way he could, in attack, in defense, to get the result… We know having him gives us an advantage, but above all, through his contagious spirit, the winning spirit that he has.”
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