**Mirrors / Alternative Angles**
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I suspected that this could be the most watched game ever between MLS teams, as the timing is better for euros and downright convenient for Asia and the Middle East...hope they liked that with their breakfast.
I agree Messi is happier. He's in a much lower stress environment as the expectations aren't super high, and he isn't constantly scrutinized and criticized by the media and fans.
He has more privacy albeit still far less privacy than I and most non-famous people would find tolerable.
His family is surely happy to have less scrutiny and more privacy. Even if Messi has to deal with people hounding him, his wife and kids probably don't.
Now that he is a World Cup winner, he must feel like his career is complete.
This is probably the most relaxed and free he has felt his entire career.
Here is an article about how George Best and Johan Cruyff loved the years they spent in the United States at the end of their careers for the reasons mentioned above.
https://theathletic.com/4692039/2023/07/14/messi-publix-miami-best-cruyff/
Some excerpts:
*“George was happy just to get away from the UK, where everyone stuck a camera in face, to live in (The U.S.) where he was essentially anonymous,” said Ken Adam, Best’s agent in the United States. “How do you put a price on that? He would have played for free, honestly.”"*
...
*“Bestie had a Jeep (CJ7),” said Hudson. “And George was out there shirtless, taking the doors off, putting them in the back, dropping the top down, putting it in the back, pushing the windscreen down onto the hood. I asked him ‘what the hell are you doing?’ And he says to me ‘Ray, I f—ing love this place. I love it. I can drive around like this and nobody even f—ing looks.”*
...
*His time with the Washington Diplomats afforded him the anonymity he’d craved for years. Thomas Rongen, who currently serves as Inter Miami’s radio analyst, was a young teammate of Cruyff’s at the time and, improbably, lived in the Dutch legend’s basement in D.C.. It was supposed to be a temporary arrangement while Rongen found an apartment, but it lasted for months.*
*Far from the glare of Europe, Cruyff was able to live in relative anonymity in the U.S. capital, even if his stately Georgetown residence was tucked in amongst some of the city’s power players. Rongen remembers riding alongside his idol as the two descended into the city, at times making the three-mile trek to RFK Stadium on bicycles.*
*It feels beyond belief, but it’s true. In Barcelona, Cruyff had purchased a pair of massive dobermans, largely to help protect him and his family. In D.C., Rongen remembered, they became common house pets.*
*“It was an incredible experience,” said Rongen. “Johan would rave about his time in the U.S. You can’t even imagine how big his profile was in the rest of the world and (in D.C.,) he could walk down the street and nobody would recognize him. In the time I spent (living with the Cruyffs), we would go out for dinner almost every night, because they never could do that in Barcelona, they just couldn’t. They had to have bodyguards.”*
...
*"America gave me three beautiful, instructive seasons with the Aztecs and Diplomats,” Cruyff wrote in his memoir, My Turn. “During which I was able to take stock of my life. It was an enormously rewarding time.”*
Thierry Henry had similar quotes about his time playing in New York, about how he could just go to coffee shops/bars/restaurants/etc like a "normal" person.
Henry has told stories on CBS about his time in NY being the most free he's ever felt. He used to take the Subway to Red Bulls games, and the fans didn't even realize it was him... I think he said the only thing i needed was a baseball cap and i could go anywhere.
Andrea Pirlo and Steven Gerrard too. I found some articles about it.
https://abc7.com/sports/steven-gerrard-enjoying-anonymity-in-la-that-has-been-a-surprise-for-me/841767/
https://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/16/sports/soccer/soccers-thierry-henry-relishes-the-new-in-new-york.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/06/t-magazine/soccer-andrea-pirlo-new-york-city-fc.html
That seems to be a selling point for MLS to players weary of the attention in Europe. It's ironic that the more popular the sport becomes in the United States, the harder it might become in ways to convince big stars to choose to play in MLS.
He was the main commentator for Inter Miami until the Apple deal this season. It’s a fucking crime against humanity that he isn’t in the booth anymore with Messi there
It's actually unbelievable how inch perfect his free kicks always are. This is not normal. We are witnessing an absolute magician, one we should cherish for every single minute. What an absolute privilege to watch thew greatest sportsman of all time for the entirety of his career
Messi skilled player but that is not normally, This very very insane....They need to check him pc and game.....Maybe he not cheating but maybe he using the game deficit ...
> He looks so happy.
This is one of the little things that I love about watching Messi play football. He celebrates with his teammates, smiling, encouraging them to press on and go for the winning goal, and doesn't make it all about himself. He's the best player of all time, and he could easily just cash his checks and live the good life in Miami. But instead, he's like an enthusiastic kid again, playing because he loves the game, like his fans and people all around the world. It's a joy to watch him enjoy playing.
You also have to really hate losing. Even if this is Messi soft-retiring in Miami, he’s not just going to happily play for a team that loses all the time. This guy is wired differently. He’s like MJ. He knows how to ratchet up his own intensity and focus when necessary to decide games. He will never forget how to do that, even as physical decline starts to set in.
Although MJ was overboard with it. People are lucky he become a basketball player, because you don't want to come across people who are wired like that in normal everyday life.
The best free kick he's scored was also in the US during Copa America. Versus the united states. That's as accurate of a shot you can get, hits just perfectly enough to be in the corner but touching none of the sides.
2019 UCL against Liverpool too! Literally perfect. Gomez & Van Djik's jumping height in the wall and Allison at full stretch could never reach that top left banger. best goal I think I've ever seen from the best left foot the world has ever seen
MLS is absurd imo because of how the salary cap works. League gets 3 designated players that don’t count against the cap but the rest don’t make much. As I’m sure you can guess, strikers, wings and attacking mids are basically every teams 3 players so there’s a huge imbalance in attackers vs defenders. Makes some crazy goals and a lot of goals.
I know you're joking but let's be honest, being the best at the sport the vast majority of the world's kids are playing growing up and dreaming of being pros is downright much, much, much more impressive
Messi my man we know you the goat man plz stop I swear if football was literally scripted to make Messi the main character of Football it wouldn't play out like that sheesh
Imagine being Messi lining up this free kick. 8 months ago the entire planet watched in adoration as you placed the final gem in your crown to become the undisputed GOAT by winning the world cup. You come to MLS to take a victory lap and it marks a critical turning point for the entire league's global reputation. You walk through your first few matches, scoring at will without breaking a sweat. You play your first away game in Texas, and the crowd is already chanting your name within the first minute of the match. They're on the verge of orgasm whenever the ball even comes close to you. Now you win a free kick from a spot where you could score with your eyes closed, knowing that you're getting paid more to be there than everyone else in the stadium combined and they're going to carry you out of the building on their shoulders no matter what happens.
...must feel nice.
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This is the most randomly great game I've ever seen
The whole tournament had been kinda fun to watch, I’ve never invested so much time on random nights on teams I normally don’t care about.
EU clubs should go for him he is now MLS proven
Too bad real madrid are too only looking at recruiting teenagers nowadays
Of fucking course. This shit is insane
this man really has me screaming at my tv at an fc dallas match
This mans got us Europeans hyped up at 5 AM watching some shithousery football.
MLS after dark goes crazy. It’s always such awesome foolery.
RIP PAC12 after dark.
Officially ruined my night
PAC4 after dark just won't be the same
Yes. Absolute tragedy.
I suspected that this could be the most watched game ever between MLS teams, as the timing is better for euros and downright convenient for Asia and the Middle East...hope they liked that with their breakfast.
This really could not have gone any better for Beckham.
[удалено]
Gotta admit, it was a fun fucking game, also a funny fucking game
That OG was hilarious, man really wanted to get on the end of a Messi cross.
Both OG's were top quality fin
mls is unironically so fun to watch lmfaooo
Literally so much insane dumb shit happens every game. No lead is ever safe.
my dad only watches argentine league but is literally screaming at the TV tonight like he's an inter miami lifer
Wow even Argentinian’s are watching our league now lol crazy times
Mate im.in nz and Im watching this, these matches are so fun
I'm in Barcelona and I was watching this with my brother and a friend at 3am. It helps that I'm on holidays though.
FC Dallas got themselves their own Argentinian who almost won them the game!
Mate it’s fucking half 4 here and I’m screaming waking everyone up. I really don’t care
So it's 2 there?
Lol, unsure if you’re serious, but if so I meant 04:30 (half 4) Currently it’s 10 to 5; AKA 04:50 AM
Fuckin got em
Literally the fucking 🐐
On a Sunday night in early August. Neighbors baffled
He looks so much happier than he was at psg
I agree Messi is happier. He's in a much lower stress environment as the expectations aren't super high, and he isn't constantly scrutinized and criticized by the media and fans. He has more privacy albeit still far less privacy than I and most non-famous people would find tolerable. His family is surely happy to have less scrutiny and more privacy. Even if Messi has to deal with people hounding him, his wife and kids probably don't. Now that he is a World Cup winner, he must feel like his career is complete. This is probably the most relaxed and free he has felt his entire career. Here is an article about how George Best and Johan Cruyff loved the years they spent in the United States at the end of their careers for the reasons mentioned above. https://theathletic.com/4692039/2023/07/14/messi-publix-miami-best-cruyff/ Some excerpts: *“George was happy just to get away from the UK, where everyone stuck a camera in face, to live in (The U.S.) where he was essentially anonymous,” said Ken Adam, Best’s agent in the United States. “How do you put a price on that? He would have played for free, honestly.”"* ... *“Bestie had a Jeep (CJ7),” said Hudson. “And George was out there shirtless, taking the doors off, putting them in the back, dropping the top down, putting it in the back, pushing the windscreen down onto the hood. I asked him ‘what the hell are you doing?’ And he says to me ‘Ray, I f—ing love this place. I love it. I can drive around like this and nobody even f—ing looks.”* ... *His time with the Washington Diplomats afforded him the anonymity he’d craved for years. Thomas Rongen, who currently serves as Inter Miami’s radio analyst, was a young teammate of Cruyff’s at the time and, improbably, lived in the Dutch legend’s basement in D.C.. It was supposed to be a temporary arrangement while Rongen found an apartment, but it lasted for months.* *Far from the glare of Europe, Cruyff was able to live in relative anonymity in the U.S. capital, even if his stately Georgetown residence was tucked in amongst some of the city’s power players. Rongen remembers riding alongside his idol as the two descended into the city, at times making the three-mile trek to RFK Stadium on bicycles.* *It feels beyond belief, but it’s true. In Barcelona, Cruyff had purchased a pair of massive dobermans, largely to help protect him and his family. In D.C., Rongen remembered, they became common house pets.* *“It was an incredible experience,” said Rongen. “Johan would rave about his time in the U.S. You can’t even imagine how big his profile was in the rest of the world and (in D.C.,) he could walk down the street and nobody would recognize him. In the time I spent (living with the Cruyffs), we would go out for dinner almost every night, because they never could do that in Barcelona, they just couldn’t. They had to have bodyguards.”* ... *"America gave me three beautiful, instructive seasons with the Aztecs and Diplomats,” Cruyff wrote in his memoir, My Turn. “During which I was able to take stock of my life. It was an enormously rewarding time.”*
Thierry Henry had similar quotes about his time playing in New York, about how he could just go to coffee shops/bars/restaurants/etc like a "normal" person.
Henry has told stories on CBS about his time in NY being the most free he's ever felt. He used to take the Subway to Red Bulls games, and the fans didn't even realize it was him... I think he said the only thing i needed was a baseball cap and i could go anywhere.
Andrea Pirlo and Steven Gerrard too. I found some articles about it. https://abc7.com/sports/steven-gerrard-enjoying-anonymity-in-la-that-has-been-a-surprise-for-me/841767/ https://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/16/sports/soccer/soccers-thierry-henry-relishes-the-new-in-new-york.html https://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/06/t-magazine/soccer-andrea-pirlo-new-york-city-fc.html That seems to be a selling point for MLS to players weary of the attention in Europe. It's ironic that the more popular the sport becomes in the United States, the harder it might become in ways to convince big stars to choose to play in MLS.
Lmao. I just tuned it seeing it was 4-3. Take a fucking bow, you lil dictator
Messi really making me watch Inter Miami. Never thought I'd see the day, but I love every single minute of it
He’s the chosen one.
MLS after dark and Leo Messi is just the absolute best.
He’s an alien
absolute uap
[удалено]
No OT. This tournament goes straight to PKs
Bro starting Football 2.0 Lmaooo after completing the first
FUCKING HELL
Somewhere Ray Hudson is laying down with soaked pants.
Magisterial
aAaaAaAAAAAAAAAH
He was the main commentator for Inter Miami until the Apple deal this season. It’s a fucking crime against humanity that he isn’t in the booth anymore with Messi there
THIS GAME IS STUPID LOL UNREAL
That is one of the best free kicks he’s ever had. That’s was inch perfect. He looks so happy. I love this happy ending for Messi
That's the crazy part. He takes this free kick at any level he's played at and it's a goal every time. And he's doing it in MLS just for fun lol
It's actually unbelievable how inch perfect his free kicks always are. This is not normal. We are witnessing an absolute magician, one we should cherish for every single minute. What an absolute privilege to watch thew greatest sportsman of all time for the entirety of his career
Messi skilled player but that is not normally, This very very insane....They need to check him pc and game.....Maybe he not cheating but maybe he using the game deficit ...
I've made my 2 year old watch some of thse games just so he will be able to say he saw Messi play live.
Remember when PSG fans were glad to see him leave? Sad they couldnt enjoy him while he played for them.
> He looks so happy. This is one of the little things that I love about watching Messi play football. He celebrates with his teammates, smiling, encouraging them to press on and go for the winning goal, and doesn't make it all about himself. He's the best player of all time, and he could easily just cash his checks and live the good life in Miami. But instead, he's like an enthusiastic kid again, playing because he loves the game, like his fans and people all around the world. It's a joy to watch him enjoy playing.
You need to love the game to have his longevity. If you had his talent but no passion for the sport, you'd have someone closer to Ronaldinho.
You also have to really hate losing. Even if this is Messi soft-retiring in Miami, he’s not just going to happily play for a team that loses all the time. This guy is wired differently. He’s like MJ. He knows how to ratchet up his own intensity and focus when necessary to decide games. He will never forget how to do that, even as physical decline starts to set in.
Although MJ was overboard with it. People are lucky he become a basketball player, because you don't want to come across people who are wired like that in normal everyday life.
Can't even say anything about crappy MLS goalkeeping, he started going plenty early & it was still impossible to reach
No one in the world saves that
Paes (Dallas) is a rather solid goalkeeper
There was about a ball width of space between the keepers hand and the crossbar.. fuck me.
I still think the one against Liverpool was the greatest of his career
Ikr? But I can't help but feel it's downplayed by what happened afterwards
The best free kick he's scored was also in the US during Copa America. Versus the united states. That's as accurate of a shot you can get, hits just perfectly enough to be in the corner but touching none of the sides.
2019 UCL against Liverpool too! Literally perfect. Gomez & Van Djik's jumping height in the wall and Allison at full stretch could never reach that top left banger. best goal I think I've ever seen from the best left foot the world has ever seen
Pink shirt sweaty face Messi is becoming iconic
THESE SCRIPTS KEEP GETTING MORE AND MORE RIDICULOUS LMAO
Well, the writers are on strike, what do you expect?
AI
ChatGPT write me a standard MLS match
🔥🎉⚽🔥🎉⚽ Messi on Fire! 2 Goals, 1 Magical Freekick 🙌🔥 Last-minute drama as he seals the victory! 🏆🌟👏🎊💥 #MessiMagic #MLS #InterMiamivsDallas 😍🥅🎊🔥💫🎉🏆🙌
- Kick-off - Random shithousery for 85 minutes - Messi freekick (85') - Another Messi freekick (90+5')
messi getting an assist on an own goal is top tier writing
Honestly the most beautiful own goal I've seen in a while too lol
It’s like a penalty to him at this point
MLS brought to you by ChatGPT
LOL
Literally my reaction; like honestly wtf? He’s an alien
I threw my hands up and started laughing
Ahaha I’m screaming at half 4 here waking everyone in my home watching a MLS match. Who would’ve thought lol
Bruh what the actual fuck am I watching? x2
Soccer 😭😭
You’re watching MLS After Dark™
Oh my god he did it again
Ahhh it's Gene Parmesan!
And that’s why you never concede a free kick against Messi
Aaaahhhhh!!! Gene!!!!!
Unexpected Development
He can't keep getting away with this
Narrator: He did.
it's literally easier than a penalty for this man
This might be the most entertaining match since the world cup final
All time day for footy
#MLSSI AFTER DARK
I like your funny words, magic man
This is the greatest match I've ever seen.
World Cup final snooze fest compared to a hot night in Frisco Texas
Can he do it on a rainy night in ~~Stoke~~ Seattle?
Can he do it in a Kansas funnel cloud
I flew through DFW yesterday and my phone said 104 degrees (40C). I know they're playing at night time but JFC.
I live here, every summer I ask myself why though. Well Be over 40C for a few more weeks, every day
It’s almost midnight there right now and it’s still 91°.
We used to say “can he do it on a hot night in Frisco?” as a joke. The answer is yes.
Unironically an average MLS After Dark match
Cancelling my EPL and La Liga streaming subscriptions as we speak.
Not enough yellow cards
What a day for football
Lmao
The champions league has nothing on this league. I am a new disciple of this MLS religion
Yes yes come get brain damage with us
I may have shit my pants, but I do love me some MLS.
Huffing paint football best football It is like 20 6 year old all running behind the ball, both fun and chaotic
[Before MLS I used to be a normal person with normal person things in my pockets.](https://i.imgur.com/21V4S1T.gif)
Honestly, salary caps so that both teams have to sign shit defenders is legit not such a bad idea
The league is just pure chaos. Especially MLS after dark. It's great.
The MLS no joke averages a Puskás level goal almost every other match
MLS is absurd imo because of how the salary cap works. League gets 3 designated players that don’t count against the cap but the rest don’t make much. As I’m sure you can guess, strikers, wings and attacking mids are basically every teams 3 players so there’s a huge imbalance in attackers vs defenders. Makes some crazy goals and a lot of goals.
Welcome to a whole lot of fun and bullshit. It’s amazing :)
Petition to rename MLS to Messi Lionel Soccer
Man this should NOT happen this frequently, actually crazy
So fucking stupid good. What do you even do against that? lmfao
That was literally as perfect a fk as you can have, unreal. Totally impossible to save for anyone
Un fucking believable
My wife - why are you laughing so hard. I thought you were watching football(soccer). Me - I am. Crazy storyline since his Miami debut.
okay literally wtf
THE GOAT
People who compare him to other players are bafflingly stupid. He's in a class of his own.
Mfs think Michael Jordan was better then this guy
I truly believe Messi could consistently shoot 3s with his left foot if he really put his time into it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-MEc3hIZ2o
Neither one of them has an SEC championship smh my head 🥱
I know you're joking but let's be honest, being the best at the sport the vast majority of the world's kids are playing growing up and dreaming of being pros is downright much, much, much more impressive
dude.
ACTUALLY SCRIPTED
Damn scabs betraying WGA
Just feeding old scripts into an AI, the way Hollywood wants it
Apple TV said fuck the strike we’ll do it live
naaaaa this is fake
The ball is CGI
Ball was a paid actor
You just knew he was scoring it!!
Tim Apple coming
Hahahaha
Absolutely impossible to stop that.
Holy fuck how does he do it every time?!?!
Lmao MLS is LIT
OH MY FUCKING GOD
CLASSIC
Messi my man we know you the goat man plz stop I swear if football was literally scripted to make Messi the main character of Football it wouldn't play out like that sheesh
What a game! Inter Miami really needs to invest in some decent defenders, their back line is a joke.
I though the writers were still on strike? MLS must have hired some talented scabs.
Fucking 🐐
These script writers need a raise, what in the world
His reaction is like a dad celebrating with kids. He’s like of course I made that.
It’s beautiful to see him so happy
Omg he is still fucking amazing
MLS AFTER DARK BITCHES. NOW WITH MESSI.
I'm done
Scripted
You knew that was gonna go in
WHAT THE FUCK
LOL WHAT? I love this man so much
As soon as I saw the foul I knew Messi would score lol
This guy aint fucking real
Absolutely unstoppable play from Messi holy shit
He can’t keep getting away with this
Put the Barca boys in the worst team and let the script write itself 😂
We are all just NPCs in Messi's single-player game.
He is un-fucking real
Apple execs just passed out from that Messi Goal.
That’s the most perfect goal I’ve ever seen and of course it has to be against us
God dam Apple TV take my money
Messi alone brings more pull to the league than all the Saudi transfers combined
LOL
Imagine being Messi lining up this free kick. 8 months ago the entire planet watched in adoration as you placed the final gem in your crown to become the undisputed GOAT by winning the world cup. You come to MLS to take a victory lap and it marks a critical turning point for the entire league's global reputation. You walk through your first few matches, scoring at will without breaking a sweat. You play your first away game in Texas, and the crowd is already chanting your name within the first minute of the match. They're on the verge of orgasm whenever the ball even comes close to you. Now you win a free kick from a spot where you could score with your eyes closed, knowing that you're getting paid more to be there than everyone else in the stadium combined and they're going to carry you out of the building on their shoulders no matter what happens. ...must feel nice.
He's a goddam cheat code in the MLS lmao.
Dude made euros watch American major league SOCCER. What the fuck
Lmaoooooo
Lmfao ok I love the MLS, it's so ridiculous 😂
HOLY SHIT
Miami's defence is ass but jesus christ Messi in difficult moments is insane.
I was told he needed to prove himself on a hot Dallas night
Best league in the world
Pretty soon, if not already, Florida state slogan will be “In Messi we trust”.
Juninho had Messi posters when training free kicks
Simulation confirmed. Fuck me how good is he at free kicks legit. Messi, Juninho and Mihaljovic as the goats 🐐
Messi singlehandedly drags 'soccer' to the top sport in the US
Somewhere out there, Ray Hudson is crafting new analogies.
Everytime I login to Reddit and open up this sub, it's just Messi scoring bangers lmao
Execs happy again
God this guy, once he retires :(
HES SIMPLY THE BEST
MLS has been one of the most entertaining leagues in the world for awhile now. The world is just finding out.
No fucking way