Lionel Messi in MLS: Greatness, Controversy and a New Era

Let's go about the reality of Messi post-retirement from the international. It's here and now he's fully focused on MLS. You never talk about the MLS. We talk about it. I know. I know. You know why? Because this season my black and gold LAFC has been dismissed. They had a coach that left midseason. The new guy hasn't been able to make the team play at the level that it should be. They're barely qualifying to the playoffs. So to be honest, I'm a little down and under with the MLS. But I'm going to play in Miami. There's record-breaking momentum in this season because Nashville, the most powerful team of MLS, is breaking the record of most points in a single season. They're already, my friends, with 74 points. And you say, like, that's a lot of points. Look down below, Miami, with the power of Messi, Bertrame, Luis Suarez, and all the support of the league has... 59 points, we're talking about 15 points, that's five games, like if you're a basketball fan, those five games in hand. And how many games difference have they played, have they played the same amount of games? Same amount of games played so far, 33 games, we're almost done, this weekend is decision day, the last day of the season, the regular season, all teams play at the same time to see who qualifies. Now, the Eastern Conference is set, Nashville, Miami, New England, Chicago. Charlotte, Philadelphia, Cincinnati, and the play-in, Orlando. Now, what do you think of Miami? Miami, look, here we go, here we go. Miami is a great plaza, it's a great team, it deserves a place in the pantheon of MLS, it's a great city to have football. They have a new stadium, they're putting a lot of money into the project, they brought the most famous players and the best players. It's actually called a new stadium, by the way. A new stadium. A new stadium. But I have a beef with Messi because... Although the level that he has been showing is pretty high, above the average of the league, the reality is that for me his attitude has changed. Messi has become a figure through many years in Barcelona of putting forward an image of respect, of not getting in trouble, of not being obnoxious and a dude, but his time spent in MLS has proven to be very different. He has been arrogant with the other players. He has been... Lowkey a bully to younger players, to unknown players, just the attitude, just like the way that he talks, he gets in the face of the referees, asking for cards all the time, asking for fouls, and refs give it to them. So, he's a great player, he's above the fold, without a doubt, I'm not going to take any of the accolades or the level that he shows because he continues to perform, scoring goals, but the reality is that I wish we got a version of Messi that was more friendly in the pitch. A little more elevated, like an ambassador. He's a guy that is... And now, you know, with the news that just today, Ronaldo just announced his retirement from the Portugal team. Now, this is the first international game that we're going to have this November in almost 15 years without either of the two.