Team barbecues & lots of jokes! Lionel Messi & his ex-Barcelona clique not a problem for Inter Miami as USMNT star Julian Gressel lifts the lid on life in Florida

Eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi completed a stunning move to the United States in the summer of 2023. He has been joined at Chase Stadium by former Camp Nou colleagues Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba and Luis Suarez. That quartet are understandably close, but they have not broken away from the rest of Tata Martino’s squad.

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USMNT star Gressel has said, per TyC Sports, of the iconic foursome that continues to capture the imagination in Florida: “Of course they are good friends. We all know that. That's why it's completely normal that they are a little more connected. They have achieved a lot together and the families get along well too. That's why naturally they work a lot in a group of four. But they are very integrated, they take the whole team with them and make a lot of jokes. We had barbecues together. This is a completely normal team structure, like in any other team of which I was a member.”

While considering Messi to be one of the guys in Miami, Gressel admits that working alongside the all-time great does take some getting used to. He added on that process: “Of course at first it seems a little surreal. You don't even know what to expect. And it's hard to realize all this right now. And that's how it still is, if I'm honest. It's hard to put into words what you feel. But so far everything is going well, he is a very nice guy. It is easy to talk to him, and even joke. And of course the quality of the place is incredible. Being there so close is really great and a great experience for me.”

Gressel went on to say of the aura that surrounds Messi: “The first time I saw him he was in the locker room. I came in, said good morning and introduced myself, I said I was Julian. And he said, 'I'm Leo', in such a way that everything fits together. He's a normal boy, a shy boy who doesn't talk much now. But it's crazy, generally crazy to play with him. Of course he is an eight-time Ballon d'Or winner and, in my opinion, the best player who has ever played. That's why he is special and he also has a special status, which is also completely normal. But as a team-mate and as captain is really good and approachable in a normal way. He's a really nice guy and a normal family man.”

Messi has helped Inter Miami to make an unbeaten start to their 2024 MLS campaign, with his first goal of the season recorded last time out in a 1-1 draw at the LA Galaxy. He will be back in action on Saturday when the Herons taken in a derby date with Orlando City.