Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano made a stunning confession about Lionel Messi following their big victory over Porto at the Club World Cup.
Messi inspired Inter Miami to a famous 2-1 victory over Porto on Thursday.
Samu Aghehowa opened the scoring from the spot in the eighth minute before the MLS side turned things around in the second-half.
Telasco Segovia equalised just two minutes after the break before Messi produced a moment of magic.
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He curled home a sensational free-kick in the 54th minute to secure Inter Miami's first victory of the competition as fans delivered the same verdict.
Messi was named 'Man of the Match' as Mascherano made a shock confession following his side's come-from-behind victory.
He claims the 37-year-old played injured and called his running levels 'crazy' considering he was carrying a knock in his quadriceps.
"Leo Messi played whilst injured, with the pain he had in his quadriceps and how he kept running is crazy," he told DAZN. "His presence was not guaranteed before the game."
The Argentine's performance against Porto is even more impressive considering he wasn't fully fit.
Inter Miami have now picked up four points from their opening two games, with Mascherano confident his team can compete against anyone in the world
"First of all, I want to congratulate the players for the game they played," he added. "Beyond the result, it was a source of pride to watch them play with courage, both with and without the ball. Today we’ve shown that we can compete against any team in the world."
Messi, who joined Inter Miami in July 2023, has now scored 50 goals in 61 games for the Florida-based outfit as he shows no signs of slowing down.
Inter Miami, who drew 0-0 with Al Ahly in their Club World Cup opener, resume their campaign next Tuesday when they face Palmeiras.
Topics: Lionel Messi, Inter Miami, FIFA Club World Cup, Football
Nasir Jabbar