“He’s a bit imposing, but we’re going to win” – Cruz Azul star labels Lionel Messi as ‘just another player’ in bold Inter Miami debut prediction

Looking ahead to Lionel Messi's Inter Miami debut, Cruz Azul midfielder Erik Lira has dismissed the Argentine as "just another player." Messi is expected to make his debut against Mexican club Cruz Azul in the Leagues Cup on July 21.

Signing the World Cup winner is perceived as the biggest coup in the history of Major League Soccer (MLS). However, Lira has maintained that their game against Inter Miami is nothing more than business as usual.

Seemingly unbothered about the responsibility of curtailing Lionel Messi, the defensive midfielder stated (via Daily Mail):

"As long as he has two legs and two eyes, he's just another player. It's a unique opportunity. It's a new tournament, we have to fight for it."

Lira continued:

"But the truth is it's just another game for us, (manager) Tuca Ferretti tells us that Messi is just another player - obviously he's a bit imposing, but we're going to win."

Inter Miami have already welcomed Messi's former Barcelona companion Sergio Busquets into their ranks. They have also hired ex-Barca manager Tata Martino, following Phil Neville's dismissal.

Despite languishing at the bottom of the Eastern Conference table, Inter Miami's flickering playoff hopes were rekindled thanks to Josef Martinez. The 30-year-old striker salvaged a point in the dying moments against Columbus Crew on Tuesday.

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David Beckham reveals Lionel Messi's surprise Inter Miami announcement woke him to a flood of messages

Inter Miami owner David Beckham recently shared a bit of the curious backstory behind Lionel Messi's surprising move to the Major League Soccer team. He described the events that took place upon the confirmation of the deal, especially when he woke up one morning to find his phone flooded with messages.

At the 'Leadership Lessons' seminar (via Marca), Beckham revealed his bewildering experience on the day the news made the rounds:

"A couple of weeks ago, I woke up to about a million messages on my phone. I was thinking, 'What's gone off? I don't usually get this many messages.' All of a sudden, I hear Leo has come out and announced he's coming to Miami. Obviously, it wasn't a surprise to me."

The news might not have been a shock to Beckham, but it was certainly unexpected for the world of football. Lionel Messi's journey to Miami, finally confirmed, has arguably marked a defining moment in MLS history, as the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner is set to play in the USA.