FFormer USMNT star Alexi Lalas has given his thoughts on the age-old question of whether Lionel Messi succeeded or struggled in the English Premier League.
The 2022 World Cup winner is widely considered one of the greatest, if not the greatest, of all time, with a record eight Ballon d’Or trophies to his name.
Messi spent most of his career with Barcelona in La Liga before spending two seasons with Paris Saint-Germain before moving to MLS with Inter Miami in 2023, where he remains.
Messi, now 38, appears to have set sail on his chances of making it in England’s top division, often hailed as the country’s strongest league.
While there is no doubting Messi’s talent and success, many wonder if the legendary forward struggled more with the physical rigors of the Premier League.
On a recent episode of the State of the Union Podcast, former U.S. national team defender Lalas didn’t think so.
Asked whether Messi could be “eaten alive” in the Premier League, Lalas said: “He’ll be fine. He won’t miss a step. He’s not only a great footballer, he’s definitely the greatest player to ever play in this game.”
“He showed that even though he played most of his career in one place, Barcelona, he could go somewhere else (Paris Saint-Germain). And, you know, there was curiosity. And he went into a completely different culture, a completely different language, a completely different world of football, obviously, and still showed himself to be great.”
Lalas praises Messi’s adaptation to America
The 55-year-old Lalas, who played 96 games for the USMNT, also praised Messi’s ability to adapt to MLS, pointing out challenges such as traveling and different pitch types.
“I think it’s even more impressive when he came to Major League Soccer, because not only do you play against teams at your level every game, you have to travel,” Lalas said.
“And you have to play on different surfaces. You have to play on all the different challenges that Messi has already overcome.”
Lalas added that Messi’s elite skills include a toughness that is often overlooked.
“With all of his talent, his touch, his skill, his vision, his magic, he’ll cut you down if he has to,” he said.
Since arriving in the United States, Messi has won the League Cup in 2023, the Supporters’ Shield in 2024, and the MLS Cup in 2025. He was also named league MVP in 2024 and 2025, becoming the first player in league history to win the award consecutively, and also won the Golden Boot Award in 2025.
