The king of football is also in trouble! Pochettino revealed that Messi s MLS challenge is a big challenge, which proves that the league s level is underestimated!

US men's football coach Pochettino recently said when talking about Messi that the Argentine football king faces huge challenges in the Major League Soccer (MLS), and he also mocked those who criticize MLS for its lack of competitiveness. The Argentine coach pointed out that although football is not the top sport in the United States, the MLS league has made significant progress.

Pochettino said on the Unfiltered podcast (quoted from GOAL): "The outside world's perception of the players and football level here is changing rapidly. Messi, the world's best player, plays football here, but even as strong as Messi, playing football in MLS is difficult for him, and I think this just proves the fierce competition of the league." He further elaborated: "People often underestimate the level of MLS, but through this year's in-depth observation, we have seen that the professionalism, preparation ability and overall quality of the players and coaching teams here are impressive. It must be admitted that in the United States, the first thing people think of in the United States is Olympic players, the NBA, the NFL, ice hockey and baseball, and then football. It is really not easy to reverse this inherent concept. What we need to do is create favorable conditions for the players and help them show a higher level."

Since Messi joined Miami International in the summer of 2023, the attention of the MLS league has surged. After the eight-time Golden Globe winner transferred from Paris Saint-Germain to the Florida team, he immediately led the team to create a brilliant record: he won the first championship in team history for the club in a few months - the 2023 League Cup championship; last season, he even won the Eastern Conference with a record 74 points and won the supporter's shield.

It is worth noting that Pochettino took over the coaching staff of the US national team in 2024. The 53-year-old coach is fully preparing for the 2026 World Cup, when he will lead the United States to face the Argentina team led by Messi, who is determined to defend the title.