Lizzy Becerrano

So prioritizing for him may just be getting into that peak shape by playing the games that he needs to be playing, which is regular season, CONCACAF Champions Cup, and now a friendly in Puerto Rico.

It's interesting because Mascherano definitely understands the situation managing Inter Miami while knowing that Argentina is going to participate in the World Cup and that Messi wants to be the captain for this tournament.

But every single time we ask Mascherano and Messi's teammates, for that matter, about whether or not the team is prepared to play without him, the answer is usually the same in that no one wants...

to play more than Messi does.

So it's not so much as how the team can prepare to play without Messi, but how much Messi's willing to let go of these opportunities and not play.

And I really, truly emphasize the name competitive animal because that's just how Mascherano and Inter Miami players label Messi.

But being so competitive, being so enamored, I guess, with the

sport that he's played for the majority of his life, no one wants to give that up and watch from the sidelines less than Lionel Messi.

So though prioritizing may come into place, I guess it's a point of saying, like, Messi wants to play all games, and if his body is able to, he will.

Simple as that.

From 30 for 30 podcast.

We had a killer amongst us.

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