‘First in, last out’ – Why Lionel Messi has ‘stayed at the top’ as coach reveals secrets to Inter Miami superstar’s success
WHAT HAPPENED?
That relentless drive, which is similar to eternal rival Cristiano Ronaldo, has allowed the Argentine icon to dominate the world game over the course of a quite remarkable career. There is no sign of the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner slowing down in MLS, as he continues to break records in the United States.
WHAT INTER MIAMI COACH SAID
Ben Young works with Messi on a daily basis, as Inter Miami’s head of strength and conditioning, and he has told The Mirror of what separates the best from the rest: “Messi is first in, last out, a true professional. He does his own individual activation and strength sessions, he will even be in training the next day after being away in an international camp in Argentina. He’s in his rhythm, his routine and that is why he’s at the top and has stayed there. He ticks all the boxes, he pushes himself but also does all his recovery work.
“We always want to make sure that the players can thrive in the most intense parts of the game and you do that by the training we expose them to. We systematically expose the players to various training stimuli that mimic the demand of the game and when appropriate we exceed the game demands to ensure they are completely prepared for the toughest of moments. To offset this work we are also continually educating the players on the importance of recovery, nutrition and make sure your recovery is good and sleep in that process to make sure they can keep training and playing at that intensity Messi is getting individual treatment, massage and recovery which shows the importance of having people close to you who you can rely on.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Messi has become the undoubted star of MLS, while raising the profile of soccer in the States as a whole, and Young added on being part of that journey: “With the World Cup coming up in 2026, it’s really exciting to be a part of it. Football here is just incredible and the sport is growing so much. I personally love America, after the 2015 World Cup, I travelled around North America and always loved it for the show they put on around every sport. I love the country for its different states and different cultures in every state.”
WHAT NEXT FOR MESSI?
Messi is currently putting club commitments on hold, but he remains in the U.S. for the Copa America tournament that is due to get underway on June 20 – with world champions Argentina entering that event as title holders.
