Ex-Inter Miami star breaks silence after reports about club selling him because he didn’t want to give no.10 shirt to Lionel Messi

Former Inter Miami striker Ariel Lassiter has put an end to the belief that he was sold because he did not want to let go of the No. 10 jersey for Lionel Messi.

Lassiter was involved in a swap deal in April that saw him move to CF Montreal, with Kamal Miller moving the other way. With rumors swirling that Messi could join the side, many on Twitter believed that the striker was sold to accommodate the Argentine's jersey number choice.

These rumors were quickly put to bed when fans realized that Lassiter wore the No. 11 jersey at the club. He went on to clear up the matter, tweeting:

"Guys I was #11 but I’ll sacrifice so others can enjoy the greatness."

Lionel Messi shocked the football world when he announced that he would join Inter Miami for the upcoming season. The 35-year-old's contract with Paris Saint-Germain expires at the end of this month. He rejected offers from Al-Hilal and Barcelona to join the American side.

He is expected to make his debut for the MLS side on July 21 against Cruz Azul in the League Cup. The Argentine superstar's arrival is expected to have a massive impact on the sport in the country.

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Barcelona legend heaps praise on Lionel Messi, calling him 'the greatest ever'

Patrick Kluivert has termed Messi as the greatest footballer ever.

Former Barcelona striker Patrick Kluivert has referred to Lionel Messi as the greatest football player ever. Speaking to JohnnyBet, the Dutch legend lauded the Argentinian for his achievements and placed him over the likes of Diego Maradona and Johan Cruyff.

He said:

“With all due respect to Diego Maradona, Pele and Johan Cruyff, and to all the other legends of the game, what Messi has achieved makes him the greatest player ever."

He added:

"He’s won the World Cup, Copa America and I don’t even know how many Champions League trophies - he’s won all the trophies a footballer could ever want to win. And there’s the personal prizes he has won as well. I consider Messi as one of, if not the greatest ever.”

Lionel Messi developed into a star at Barcelona before making a move to Paris Saint-Germain for a two-year stint. He scored 672 goals and provided 303 assists in 778 games for Barca, winning numerous trophies.

Kluivert, meanwhile, himself came up through Ajax's youth system before establishing himself as a prolific striker with the Catalan giants. He bagged 122 goals and 60 assists in 257 appearances for the Blaugrana.