Amid reports of Lionel Messi telling him he will never play in Europe, Seattle Sounders’ Obed Vargas reveals what really happened during heated clash

The Leagues Cup final clash on September 1 between Lionel Messi's Inter Miami and the Seattle Sounders saw a heated moment. Messi apparently told Seattle midfielder Obed Vargas that he's done playing in Europe.

It's pertinent to note that the 38-year-old arrived on American shores two summers ago after 19 seasons in Europe, most of them (17) with Barcelona and the remaining with Paris Saint-Germain.

Having heloed the Herons to two trophies - the 2023 Leagues Cup and the 2024 Supporters' Shield, Messi failed to deliver a third as the Herons were soundly beaten 3-0 by Seattle.

During a YouTube interview uploaded by the Sounders, Vargas said that he was unmindful of Messi telling him that his European chapter is over:

“I don’t know. During the game, I’m just playing, and he’s talking. I just zoned out. So I don’t really know if that’s what he said. But as far as I know, that’s not true.”

Coming back to the aforementioned game, Osaze De Rosario gave the Sounders the lead midway through the first half before Alex Roldan doubled their advantage from the spot six minutes from time.

With Messi and Co. failing to respond, Paul Rothrock dug the final nail in their coffin with an 89th-minute strike to seal Seattle's first title of the season.

How Lionel Messi fared in European club football

Inter Miami attacker Lionel Messi is one of the best players to grace the beautiful game, having carved out a niche for himself during his near two-decade-long stay at Barcelona between 2004 and 2021.

Having come up through the club's ranks, the record eight-time Ballon d'Or winner registered a staggering 672 goals and 303 assists in 778 games across competitions, all three being unmatched by any other Barca player. His stint yielded 10 La Liga and four UEFA Champions League titles, among other domestic and continental honours.

After arriving at PSG in the summer of 2021 on a free transfer, Messi produced rather modest numbers - 32 goals and 35 assists in 75 games across competitions. He won consecutive Ligue 1 titles, but European success eluded him.

With his current side, Miami, Messi has 61 goals and 29 assists in 73 games across competitions, including 27 strikes and 11 assists in 34 outings this season.

About the author

Bhargav is a veteran sports journalist and editor at Sportskeeda, with a rich professional experience of 17 years, working for the likes of Siemens and Bombay Dyeing. An avid football and tennis follower for over three decades, Bhargav uses his vast knowledge and experience, attention to detail, an unbiased yet interesting writing style, and thorough research to craft insightful articles, which have raked in over 20 million reads so far.

Bhargav supports Italy at national level, a team steeped in tradition and history according to him. He still harbors the heartbreak from the Azzurri’s 1994 FIFA World Cup final defeat against Brazil, and protagonist-turned-antagonist from the game, ‘Divine Ponytail’ Roberto Baggio is his all-time favorite player. His favorite manager is Marcelo Lippi, who ended Italy’s 24-year wait for the World Cup trophy, winning it in 2006.

Outside Europe’s top five leagues, he follows the MLS following Lionel Messi’s move in 2023 but favors Cristiano Ronaldo in the G.O.A.T. debate. During his free time, Bhargav enjoys driving off to new places and singing.

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Edited by Bhargav