Despite being the son of one of the greatest footballers in history, Lionel Messi, Mateo Messi’s style of play appears to lean more toward someone like Sergio Ramos rather than adopting the attacking flair for which his father is renowned.
Mateo Messi, who previously played for Paris Saint-Germain, made a summer move to the United States when he joined Inter Miami in Major League Soccer (MLS). His transition to the MLS appears to have been smooth, with a strong start to his time at Inter Miami.
Lionel Messi has made an impressive start to his MLS career, amassing 11 goals and three assists in 10 games for Inter Miami. The team has enjoyed remarkable success in matches with him in the lineup, winning all but one. However, given Messi’s age of 36, his playing career is approaching its conclusion.
In contrast, recent footage of his son, Mateo Messi, suggests that his style of play is more likely to resemble that of a player like Sergio Ramos rather than following in his father’s footsteps.
What is the video of Mateo Messi like?
A viral video on social media showcases Mateo Messi’s no-nonsense attitude on the pitch, reminiscent of a young Roy Keane. The young Argentine displays a ruthless demeanor, making him a nightmare for attackers in a real-game scenario.
In a face-off against his brother Ciro, Mateo exhibits a lack of remorse as he engages in some rather aggressive challenges, a characteristic often associated with players like Sergio Ramos during his tenure at Real Madrid.
It appears that Mateo may have drawn inspiration from the Spanish defender while playing alongside his father, Lionel Messi, at PSG. Rather than emulating his father’s attacking prowess, Mateo seems destined for a defensive role, where he won’t hesitate to take out opponents.
Matteo Messi is an assassin 😭pic.twitter.com/kQzYTD5bwK
— All About Argentina 🛎🇦🇷 (@AlbicelesteTalk) August 31, 2023
While some of the challenges shown in the video could be classed as pretty forcible shoulder barges, knocking his brother off of his feet, some are just downright wild tackles, with late slide tackles flying in. It’s not the first time that the young man has shown a tendency to throw a crunching tackle, though.
Mateo Messi has shown he’s prone to a rough tackle in the past
Another video that made waves online last year showed Mateo has always had a tendency to play football a little dirty as he was once again seen taking out Ciro with some ruthless challenges at home. The video saw the Messi clan playing football at home and the two siblings went at it again, with Mateo showing no remorse as he savagely fouled his sibling.
Leo Messi, imparable… hasta en el living de casa:
✅ Los amagues del 30
✅ El CAÑO a Thiago
✅ La barrida de Mateo a Ciro pic.twitter.com/4aAnKt0ilt— SportsCenter (@SC_ESPN) December 8, 2021
Despite enduring some robust fouls from Mateo, Ciro Messi demonstrates flashes of the skill and talent for which his father is renowned. While Mateo seems to relish delivering crunching tackles, Ciro exhibits a love for dribbling with the ball. If Ciro continues to develop his skills, there’s potential for him to enjoy a legendary career that mirrors the abilities of his father, Lionel Messi, with the ball at his feet.