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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Andrew Joseph

Lionel Messi finally addressed the rumor that he refuses to play on artificial turf

Lionel Messi Leo Messi Charlotte (Organization) Atlanta Inter Miami MLS

By all accounts, Lionel Messi’s move to MLS has already been a tremendous success. Since joining Inter Miami nearly four weeks ago, he’s helped turn a last-place club into a Leagues Cup finalist. But as the actual MLS season is still ahead for Messi, one looming question remained:

Will he play on artificial turf?

Throughout Messi’s entire professional soccer career, he had never played on artificial turf for neither club nor country. It’s not a thing in La Liga, Ligue 1 or any of the European stadiums he’s played Champions League matches in. MLS, however, is a different story with six stadiums using artificial playing surfaces.

Just before Messi’s Inter Miami debut, The Mirror (a British tabloid) reported that Messi would not play on artificial turf, putting his availability for scheduled away matches at Atlanta and Charlotte in doubt. On Thursday, Messi finally spoke about that rumor, and it was good news for ticket brokers in Atlanta and Charlotte.

Speaking in Spanish, Messi told reporters that he had played on synthetic surfaces during his youth days. And though he hadn’t played as an adult professional on turf, he’d be willing to adapt.

Now, Messi’s willingness to play on artificial turf is huge news for MLS as it didn’t suit the league to have a global superstar skip out on trips to six cities.

But the injury risk on turf and the stress turf puts on an athlete’s body might be enough to have Tata Martino decide to rest Messi for those matches. Charlotte and Atlanta, for example, had already said that they had no plans to install natural grass at their stadiums for Messi. So, the decision will remain with Messi and Inter Miami about his availability for the Sept. 16 and Oct. 21 matches.

MLS fans were still thrilled to hear that Messi is willing to play on turf.

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