If you know anything about soccer, you know something about Lionel Messi — and Saturday, Messi and Inter Miami are coming to Allianz Field, to take on the Loons.
If he’s not the greatest soccer player of all time, he’s at least one of three, maybe four names that are always in the running.
If you have kids, they adore him, probably. Famously private, he can all but shut down Disney World with his presence, with even the rumor of his presence. Taylor Swift and the new Pope might be the only two other humans alive who could understand the level of fame we’re dealing with here.
MLS has seen star power before — think David Beckham — but Messi’s presence is on another level. Put another way: Messi is almost certainly the only player in league history whose bodyguard has been publicly banned from the sideline.
If you don’t know Messi, though, let me try to explain.
He does not immediately jump off your TV screen. He’s listed at 5-7 and doesn’t appear to be that tall. He’s quick, but the numbers say he’s not even in the top 15 fastest players on the Miami roster. On the field, he’s mostly walking around, especially at age 37.
His greatness comes down to two things. First, he appears to be on a different plane of existence, when it comes to space — like he’s both protected by a force field and can omnisciently see every angle of the field at all times. Second, he can move the ball in ways no one else can dream of, and he can do it at full speed.
To put it in football terms: Think of the best running back you ever saw.