David Beckham reveals how Lionel Messi left him stunned on his first day at Inter Miami as co-owner uses one word to describe Argentine legend

Former Manchester United players Rio Ferdinand and Beckham sat down with one another to talk about the great Messi following his move to Inter Miami in the summer of 2023 from Paris Saint-Germain. The latter said if he had to describe the former Barcelona star in one word, it would be "winner", and he also lifted the lid on his incredible work ethic.

He said on Rio Ferdinand Presents: “The one thing that Leo is good as is teaching. He’s good at teaching the young players that are coming in from the academy. He doesn’t make any player feel below him. He’s that player that will stay out on the training ground teaching the young kids, going to watch the academy kids playing. He’ll be the first in the gym and he’ll be the last out of the gym.

“I don’t think you get to that level without having that [drive] within you. I’ll take you back to the first day that he came in to our training ground. He arrived at about 6:50 in the morning. And there was nobody in the training facility apart from one guy to let him in. He arrived at 6:50. The team weren’t training till 10.”

When asked if Messi is the most dedicated player he’s ever been around, he replied: “At his level, without a doubt. To still be like he is now is unbelievable.”

Beckham's words make sense when you stand back and see Messi has scored more than 850 goals, has won a World Cup with Argentina, multiple Champions Leagues, a hatful of Ballons d'Or and he is still performing at a very high level at the age of 37. None of that would be possible without being an incredible professional.

Ferdinand also asked Beckham what Messi does at the training facility before everyone arrives.

The 49-year-old replied: "Preparing. He’s in the gym, he’s warming up. He’s doing all of the things that you expect a young kid to do and he’s still doing them now at his age. Everything that he’s won in his career, you would expect him to be a bit more relaxed. If I had to describe him with one word, he’s a winner. Not in the sense of what he’s won, but he’s still hungry. He’s still hungry for championships, he still gets angry with players for not doing the right thing. He still gets angry when he loses games. Even when he’s not playing he gets angry. When he’s not playing or he’s injured, he’s there at every game. He doesn’t have to be there at every game. That’s the type of person and player that he is. He’s unbelievable to see.”

Messi, who has said he still has "more years to play" football, is next in action for Inter Miami when they host New England Revolution on Saturday. Beckham's team sit top of Major League Soccer's Eastern Conference.