Inter Miami star admits he 'almost fainted' meeting Lionel Messi for first time & reveals what Argentine 'animal' is like as a team-mate

Bright has gone from playing in Serie D with Arconatese, before moving to the United States to pursue a career in the college football system. He ultimately joined Inter Miami in 2024 and is now an MLS champion, becoming the fourth Italian player to win a trophy alongside Messi, joining Gianluigi Donnarumma, Marco Verratti and Gianluca Zambrotta in a very exclusive club. And he has now revealed his head-swimming first impression when he met the World Cup winner, while claiming the Argentine transforms into an "animal" once he crosses the white line.

Bright told Gazzetta about his first meeting with Messi: "Leo is a very humble person with an incredible aura. I remember the first time I saw him I almost fainted, despite trying to mentally prepare myself before he arrived. He presented himself as just any person, he is a leader on and off the pitch, before matches he always knows how to find the right words to motivate us. A model professional, with obsessive attention to detail. 

"He is a quiet boy, but on the pitch he transforms into an animal, at 38 and after everything he has won he never wants to lose even in training. In the locker room, he then has a very good relationship with the whole team.

"(We have) 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 these two years both on and off the pitch. He told me that he likes Italy and the challenges he played at San Siro. When he won with Barcelona against Milan in 2011, I was in the stands too, thanks to my brother playing in the youth team."

Looking for smarter football bets? Get expert previews, data-driven predictions & winning insights with GOAL Tips on Telegram. Join our growing community now!

Bright also lifted the lid on what it is like to share a dressing room with the likes of Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba, and Luis Suarez, as well as Messi.

He added: "For them too, the care they put into every detail is impressive. To make you understand: during training Jordi Alba caught me because even though I had given him a perfect pass on his feet, the ball had not reached him at the right speed and he had to do an extra check to fix it. But despite this perfectionism, they have integrated very well within the group and are all very humble people. I got very excited when Leo and Jordi told me that I had the characteristics to play in Europe.

"Sergio Busquets is the one that came closest to me: we play in the same role and he tried to get me to assimilate his style, even though we are two completely different players. He's much more technical, while I'm grittier... Playing like him is almost impossible (laughs). He and I talk a lot about American football and we play together in a fantasy football league. I'm going to miss him so much now that he's retired."

He has also confirmed that he has regularly interacted with Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham, adding: "(Javier) Mascherano is very good on a human level, he manages to put himself on the same level as the players. He asks me to put my determination into play to compensate for the loss of Sergio's technical qualities. Beckham is a true leader, very present: before matches he always comes to charge us one by one."

Inter Miami are next in action on February 22 when they take on LAFC in their first game of the 2026 MLS season. That clash will see Messi lock horns with Son Heung-min following the South Korea star's move to the United States from Tottenham last summer.