Ibrahimovic Criticises Inter Miami Squad: Messi Plays With Statues, Not Teammates

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Zlatan Ibrahimovic has criticised the quality of Inter Miami's squad, suggesting Lionel Messi is playing alongside ineffective teammates. Despite being the only MLS team to reach the Club World Cup knockout stages, Miami's journey ended with a 4-0 loss to Paris Saint-Germain. Javier Mascherano's side failed to register a single shot in the first half, while PSG scored four goals before halftime.

Messi managed four shots during the match but couldn't secure a consolation goal for Miami. The team also features Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets, and Luis Suarez. However, Ibrahimovic feels that 38-year-old Messi is being hindered by his teammates' performance. "It wasn't Leo Messi who lost, it was Inter Miami," said Ibrahimovic, as quoted by ESPN.

Ibrahimovic further commented on Messi's situation: "Messi plays with statues, not teammates. He's surrounded by players who run as if they were carrying bags of cement." Despite these challenges, Messi still managed to score one goal in the tournament with a remarkable free-kick during Miami's group-stage victory over Porto.

Messi also boasts the highest dribble success rate (70.6%) among players attempting at least 15 dribbles in the competition. A Twitter post from OptaJoe highlighted this statistic:

Ibrahimovic expressed his belief that this isn't the Messi he knows: "This isn't the Messi I know. If you put him in a real team, he'd go all out." He emphasised that without proper coaching and skilled teammates, Messi cannot fully showcase his abilities.

"If he were on a real team, any great team, you'd see the real lion," Ibrahimovic stated. He believes that Messi continues to play because of his love for football and his unique skills that surpass those of most players.

Inter Miami will resume their MLS season against CF Montreal this weekend. The Herons currently hold sixth place in the Eastern Conference standings.