Inter Miami superstar Lionel Messi shared a heart-warming moment with Los Angeles FC defender Giorgio Chiellini’s daughters after a Major League Soccer (MLS) fixture on Monday. A clip of the cute moment was shared by the official Instagram handle of MLS. The video captured the post-match scene when players of the two American sides were shaking hands with each other as a customary gesture. “These two have shared a lot of battles on the pitch but it’s all love,” read the post shared by MLS.
In between all of this, Chiellini approached Messi to take a picture with his daughters Nina and Olivia, who are understood to be fans of the Argentine great. Messi reacted in the most humble way possible. He smilingly posed with the little girls, while Chiellini went on to click the photo on Nina’s phone. The Italian defender did not forget to thank Messi and share another hug.
Messi and Chiellini had lined up against each other on several occasions during their stint in Europe. The Argentine World Cup-winner holds a slight edge over the Italian defender. Beating Chiellini, Messi found the back of the net three times, while providing two assists. The Italian international joined Los Angeles FC last summer after capping off a glorious 17-year-long spell with Juventus.
Meanwhile, Messi continued his sublime run in Inter Miami jersey. Messi did not succeed in registering his name on the scoresheet but he was able to provide two assists in the Herons’ comprehensive 3-1 win against Los Angeles FC. After the MLS fixture against Inter Miami, Chiellini admitted, “This team [Miami] is the best, by far, that I’ve faced in MLS, to be honest,” as quoted by ESPN.
The former Juventus player also expressed his admiration for Messi, highlighting how the Argentine’s arrival has bolstered Inter Miami. “The arrival of Leo in this league, it’s very good, not just for Miami and for the game, but for the attention that everyone now gives to the MLS. It’s a huge step for this league,” Chiellini said.
Messi has so far recorded five assists, while scoring 11 goals in as many games for Inter Miami across all competitions. Thanks to his scintillating form, the Herons have not suffered a single defeat since Messi made his Inter Miami debut back in July. Since Messi’s arrival, Inter Miami have already claimed their maiden trophy by winning the Leagues Cup. They are now aiming to engrave their name on the MLS trophy.
After the Los Angeles FC game, Messi said, “Now we are going to try to reach the aim of being in the top eight to try to aim for the league. This is the path. We continue to grow. Obviously winning gives you confidence.”
Inter Miami are languishing at the second-last spot in the Eastern Conference of the MLS standings, with 25 points from as many games.