‘Son now biggest player in MLS, Messi doesn’t speak English’ – Lalas
Major League Soccer legend, Alexi Lalas, has said that Lionel Messi has lost his place as the biggest ambassador for the American football league.
According to him, former Tottenham star, Son Heung-min, who joined the club some weeks ago, has overtaken the former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain star.
Lalas believes that Son’s outgoing nature and fluent English could help the MLS’ visibility.
Messi moved to Major League Soccer where he joined Inter Miami in 2023 after leaving PSG.
The legendary Argentine football star has won two trophies with Inter Miami already, the Supporters’ Shield and the Leagues Cup.
Son, meanwhile, moved to Los Angeles Football Club from Tottenham Hotspur for a record fee of $26 million this summer.
Former United States international, Lalas, was asked on his State of the Union podcast if the South Korean could be a bigger ambassador for the league than Messi.
He answered, as quoted by the Mirror, “I think that’s unquestionable, that he is going to be much more available and upfront.
“As you mentioned, he speaks English, the incredible Korean population that we have, the incredible Korean fans around the world, and not just Korean fans but fans of Son, fans of Spurs, fans of the EPL that have seen him.
“So I think he’s going to have a major impact in terms of visibility, and I think he’s going to add to it because of his availability and his willingness to be out there.
“And that’s not something that Messi has, let’s be honest, ever done. He’s always been a very reticent and private type of star, and his play has always done the talking. And if he speaks English and he’s choosing not to speak English at all, that’s weak. And if he doesn’t speak English, fair enough, I get it’s difficult to learn a new language.
“But I always considered it as a form of respect for the country and culture that is paying your bills and that you are a guest of. But it doesn’t matter. Messi is still going to sell plenty of tickets and be the star that he is.”
Son has already played two matches for LAFC. He won a penalty in a 2-2 draw over Chicago Fire before providing an assist in a 2-0 win over New England Revolution.
‘Son now biggest player in MLS, Messi doesn’t speak English’ – Lalas
