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‘Lionel Messi a quiet guy but on pitch he turns into animal’: Inter Miami star almost fainted after meeting Barca great
The Inter Miami star reflected on the surreal moment of meeting Lionel Messi for the first time, offering a glimpse into the Argentine icon’s humility.
Inter Miami midfielder Yannick Bright recently opened up about his first meeting with Lionel Messi, describing the Argentine as a figure who carries an extraordinary presence without ever seeking the spotlight. Despite being an eight-time Ballon d’Or winner and a World Cup champion, Messi’s humility left a lasting impression on the young midfielder.
Messi’s move to Major League Soccer after lifting the World Cup in Qatar marked a turning point for the league. Stadiums across the country began selling out, television interest surged, and Inter Miami fixtures turned into major events. His arrival also helped attract global names to MLS, accelerating the league’s growth and changing how football in the United States is viewed worldwide.
Bright reflected on the surreal moment of meeting Lionel Messi for the first time, offering a glimpse into the Argentine icon’s humility, leadership and the quiet authority he brings to the dressing room and the pitch.
"Leo is a very humble person with an incredible aura. I remember that the first time I saw him I almost fainted, despite trying to prepare myself mentally before he arrived. He presented himself as an ordinary person, he is a leader on and off the pitch, before games he always knows how to find the right words to motivate us," Bright said on Gazzetta.
The Miami midfielder continued his praise of Messi by highlighting the veteran’s relentless professionalism, fierce competitiveness and enduring hunger to win, traits that, he said, set the tone for standards both on the training ground and inside the dressing room.
"A model professional, with an obsessive attention to detail. He is a quiet guy, but on the pitch he turns into an animal, at 38 years old and after everything he has won he never wants to lose even in training. In the locker room he also has an excellent relationship with the whole team," he added.
“Lionel Messi has been a great help”
Bright also opened up on the personal bond he has built with Messi, revealing regular football conversations and shared moments off the pitch, while recalling the surreal link to San Siro, where he once watched Messi in 2011 and now calls him a teammate.
"A good relationship as teammates: we talk a lot about football, he tells me about his family and asks me about mine. He has been a great help in these two years both on and off the pitch. He told me that he likes Italy and the matches he played at San Siro. When he won with Barcelona against Milan in 2011, I was also in the stands, thanks to my brother who played in the youth team," he concluded.
