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Could Lionel Messi inactive chopped it astatine the apical level? (1:23)
Julien Laurens and Stewart Robson wonderment if Lionel Messi could inactive play astatine the elite level successful Europe aft his Inter Miami broadside were swept speech by PSG. (1:23)
Adriana Garcia
Jul 1, 2025, 05:17 AM ET
Zlatan Ibrahimovic defended Lionel Messi pursuing Inter Miami's elimination from the FIFA Club World Cup and likened the superstar's teammates to "statues."
Inter Miami and Messi lost 4-0 to his erstwhile nine Paris Saint-Germain successful Sunday's circular of 16. Ibrahimovic -- who played with Messi astatine Barcelona -- was unimpressed by Miami, who conceded 4 first-half goals against the Champions League winners.
"It wasn't Leo Messi who lost, it was Inter Miami," the erstwhile Swedish guardant said.
"Messi plays with statues, not teammates. He's surrounded by players who tally arsenic if they were carrying bags of cement."
Ibrahimovic said fans did not get to spot the champion Messi astatine the Club World Cup due to the fact that of a deficiency of endowment astatine Inter Miami.
"This isn't the Messi I know," helium said. "If you enactment him successful a existent team, he'd spell each out. There are nary coaches, nary stars, not adjacent players who recognize however to determination without the ball. If helium were connected a existent team, immoderate large team, you'd spot the existent lion.
"Messi plays unsocial due to the fact that helium loves the game, due to the fact that helium tin inactive bash what 99% of players can't. But this isn't the Messi I know," helium said.
Eight-time Ballon d'Or victor Messi focused connected the positives. Miami, who bushed Porto 2-1 successful the radical stages, became the archetypal MLS squad to ever bushed a European nine successful authoritative contention and the lone MLS nine to beforehand to the sound retired circular successful this year's tournament.
"It was the crippled we expected," Messi, 38, said aft his team's humbling nonaccomplishment to PSG. "We tried to bash the champion imaginable and we near a bully representation astatine the Club World Cup level."
