Former Tottenham Hotspur and Real Madrid Gareth Bale shared his perspective on MLS as he offered advice to Lionel Messi ahead of his much-anticipated move to Inter Miami.
Bale, who played for Los Angeles Football Club in 2022, noted in an interview with BT Sport that Messi would have a smooth time in the United States as the league accepts losing much better than European leagues.
There’s no relegation in MLS, so losing isn’t penalized like in Europe, where a recent Premier League champion like Leicester City was relegated and will be playing in the Championship next season.
“It is a lot more chilled,” Bale said (h/t GOAL). “If you lose at Real Madrid, it is like the world has ended. You are crucified. You feel down. You go home and you’re not happy.
“They accept losing a bit more. There is no consequence. You can’t get relegated over there. When you lose a game you go on to the next one. They accept losing a lot better over there.”
MLS not having relegation is good, as Inter Miami currently finds itself at the bottom of the Eastern Conference with 15 points. Messi will be walking into a challenging situation if he hopes to get the South Florida-based club to the playoffs.
If this year doesn’t go as planned, perhaps a full offseason and having Messi from the start of the season will bode well for Inter Miami in 2024.
