The former Liverpool midfielder was full of praise for his former teammate and now player under his management.
Inter Miami has become something of a Barcelona reunion in recent years, as Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba and Lionel Messi have all donned the pink shirt.
On top of that, Javier Mascherano is currently the club’s manager, a player who also played for Barcelona.
Whilst Busquets and Alba saw out the remainder of their career at the club, Messi and Suarez are still going strong.
The pair often combine on a football pitch, running back the years as they lit up La Liga back in the day.
Lionel Messi in particular is regarded as one of the greatest footballers to have ever lived and as the Argentine superstar closes in on reaching 900 career goals, Javier Mascherano has been quick to praise the player.
“[I am] a privileged spectator, nothing more, nothing less,” Mascherano said. “I haven’t contributed much to him scoring goals, neither with assists nor now as a coach. I’ve been lucky enough to see most, or many, of the goals he’s scored, much closer than you all, and that’s a privilege. The number we’re talking about [900] is insane, and that’s why Leo is a one of a kind.”
Lionel Messi will be looking to reach 900 career goals on Saturday night as his side face off against DC United.
Currently sat on 898 goals, Saturday could very much be the day that Lionel Messi writes himself further into the history books.
The 38-year-old notched the majority of his tally at Barcelona but despite moving to the MLS during his years of decline, he has still managed an impressive 79 since moving there in the summer of 2023.
Last season was particularly impressive as he picked up the 2025 MLS golden boot after netting 29 goals throughout the regular season campaign, finishing as the league’s top scorer.
Cristiano Ronaldo currently boasts the title of being the only active player to have reached the 900-goal milestone but Lionel Messi is soon to join that number.
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