'Everyone thought I didn't want Messi to come' - Ex-Inter Miami goalkeeper Nick Marsman opens up on truth behind his release after Leo's arrival in MLS that saw 'boyhood dream' ended

The shot stopper was asked about the prospect of Messi joining the MLS side and he admitted that the club was "not ready" for the World Cup winner's arrival on a free transfer because the team were playing in a temporary stadium with no security. His comments sparked a negative reaction but the Dutchman insists his they were taken out of context, but that Messi understood when he explained the situation.

"Inter Miami is an ambitious club with big dreams where they try again and again to make the impossible possible. But they were points that made me dismiss the speculation about a possible arrival of Messi at that moment," he told Algemeen Dagblad. "Yes, that was a bit unpleasant. Everyone thought that I had given an interview after the announcement. And I did not want Messi to come. That is how it was presented. But that was not the case. In fact, for me it was also a childhood dream come true.

"I said [to Messi]: 'It's not the way it's told. It's completely taken out of context'. 'No problem, I didn't understand it all myself,' he said. The club also understood when I explained what happened. And they also agreed with me."

Ex-Feyenoord player Marsman had his contract at Inter Miami terminated just weeks after he made the initial comments. The 33-year-old said: "It turned around very drastically at once. From being back in the starting line-up to not playing at all. No, that was not a nice period. Everyone was chill. And they tried to involve me in everything. But you just feel less part of the team if you are no longer eligible to play and cannot make a difference."

Argentina hero Messi will start preparing for the new MLS season with Inter Miami. The schedule for the 2024 campaign has not yet been released, while the season is expected to start in late-February or early-March.