Speaking exclusively with BOYLE Sports , US-born former Man United striker Giuseppe Rossi claims Messi is going nowhere while also offering his two cents into the Messi vs Ronaldo “GOAT” Debate.
Rossi doesn’t mince his words in other spheres, calling out Suarez and his actions and pleads with the USA not to turn the World Cup into a trump show!
Elsewhere, he gives his opinions on Real Madrid, Barcelona and tells us about the greatest advice he received from Sir Alex Ferguson.
Lionel Messi
Messi Is Going Nowhere!
I don't think Lionel Messi is going anywhere. Money is going to be the deciding factor. He's making a lot of money. I believe he is more family-oriented and prioritises external factors over on-field performance. He and his family want to live comfortably and without worry. I think he's found that in Miami.
He has a good group of players around him whom he's known for a long time from his Barcelona days, which makes him feel at home. There's also a very large Latin community there. If he continues to play, I hope it's here in the MLS, or, truthfully, anything that makes him happy, even if it's going back home.
We never want to see these greats leave the game or stop playing. Unfortunately, these things do happen. As we saw, it could have been his last game in Argentina with the national team.
These moments will happen, and we have to continue to cherish these games, these gems that players like Messi and Ronaldo are giving us, because it will come to an end soon. But at this stage of their careers, I believe if it were me, the focus would mainly be on comfort, finding a home away from home where my family and I are comfortable and feel safe. And hopefully, that's what he does.
Messi vs Ronaldo
The GOAT Debate: Messi vs Ronaldo
It's all a matter of preference; it's all subjective. I've always admired technical players because that's the kind of player I was. When you see players who play similarly to you, you admire it, you try to learn from it, and you feel more connected to that style of play.
I was fortunate enough to play with Cristiano Ronaldo at a young age and also against him when we were both in Spain. Watching him grow and evolve into one of the best players to ever play the game commands a certain respect.
His style of play is different from mine, perhaps a style I wouldn't be able to adapt to. Therefore, it feels somewhat distant to me, but there is a definite admiration for his work ethic and how he achieved what he did.
You can take aspects from both types of players and learn from them, but you feel more attached to what's close to you. That's why the way Messi plays, his touch on the ball, his class, and being left-footed (which is great because I was a left-footed player) make you feel that Messi is the player you'd always talk about whenever young players ask about football.”
Luis Suarez
Suarez Was Stupid!
Luis Suarez was stupid. The guy's a great striker. One of the best finishers in our game in the past 20 years. I love watching him play, but he's got those antics that are crap. It's literally not called for. I don't care who you are. I don't care what you did in the past. On the field, I don't care about that stuff.
These type of antics, when it comes to spitting on people, we could go and reminisce on certain things that he's done in the past. You lose a lot of respect.
He loses a lot of respect in the world, in the soccer world and in the sports world. So he's got to understand that these things can happen, but I don't think he would ever learn from that, just because it's been something that's going on for a long time.
So off the field, no respect. On the field, big admiration because of the things that he was able to accomplish. But for me, you're only as good as you are as a man and not anything more.
So let's just say I wouldn't be buying a ticket to go watch a game if he comes to play here in New York. That's just the way that I'm wired when it comes to athletes and who they are as a human being because that's the most important thing.”
2026 World Cup
Don’t Make The World Cup About Trump!
The World Cup is special; it's the most beautiful tournament in all of sports. There could be distractions, especially since it's played here in America. Instead of focusing solely on the game, on soccer, there would be many spectacles around it.
There will be a lot of controversy about God knows what, because that's what the USA is unfortunately known to do. Right now, the controversy is about ticketing, how everyone is buying tickets at a certain price and selling them for 10x.
How is that really enjoyable for the fans who genuinely care about the game? As much as I want it to be a success and be only about football, football, football, I feel like there are going to be a lot of non-football distractions.
That's my worry. I just hope everyone can set egos aside, stay the course, and keep the tournament's integrity intact. Don't make it about the USA, don't make it about Donaldo Trump, or other political nonsense. Just keep it about soccer.
There's so much more we can give to the world when they see that a big, powerful country like the USA can put ego aside and enjoy a great tournament like the World Cup.
Celic
Celtic Links
I feel like there was some links to Celtic but not Rangers, I can’t recall off the top of my head, but I’m not sure there was a right time in my career to go there.”
Champions League
Real Madrid’s Champions League Pressure
Yeah, of course. There's always pressure on these big teams, teams that stay relevant in the sports world because they win the big titles.
Liverpool won the league finally after a few years and now they're back on top of the world. Everybody talks about Liverpool. Last year, everybody was talking about Manchester City, and nobody is talking about Manchester City now.
Real Madrid they had a bad season last year. So they need to find relevance again, because if they don't win anything this year, then it's a crisis. So in order to stay on top, in order to stay one of the best teams in the world, you have to win these big trophies, league, Champions League.
Players who are unselfish, players who follow and believe what the coach is saying and implementing are important. And that's why PSG is back to where it needs to be. So let's see if these teams can get back on track and give a run for their money.
Newcastle vs Barcelona
St. James' Park is one of the best stadiums to play at, especially in European competitions. It's going to be wild. I wish I had the chance to play in Europe at St. James' Park. It's going to be electric.
“Barcelona is going to have a tough time, I already know. Having that twelfth man behind you is something needed in football.
“It's a certain type of push and energy that you feel while you're in the game, and I don't think there's any fanbase better that could give a push to their team than the Newcastle fans.”
Greatest Real Madrid Opponents
I remember playing my first games against Raul, who I admired so much for how he approached his craft. Then, when he left, Cristiano Ronaldo came onto the scene. Having played with him, being able to see him turn into a number nine and score all those goals was something great to witness and to compete against.
Then, you'd play against the likes of Toni Kroos and Luca Modric, players who never let you see the ball when they had it. It was always great competing against these icons of the game.
Sergio Ramos, who, for me, is one of the best centre-backs of the past 20 or 30 years, I loved competing against him and always wanted to do well. These are crazy players, like Marcelo.
Players who have changed the game, won so much with the shirt, and become icons not only of Real Madrid but of football itself.
Sir Alex Ferguson
Getting Advice From Sir Alex Ferguson
You know, one time when I got off the bus from a game, I was a 17-year-old kid. He said, ‘Giuseppe, I have something to ask you.’ I said, ‘Yes, boss?’ He asked, ‘What do you think makes a great coach?" I was thinking, why is he asking me this? I replied, ‘I think the most important thing for a coach is to have the respect of the players.’ He said, ‘That's a good answer, but no. It's knowing what your players want.’
I found that interesting. When I was that young, it didn't really hit me, but it kind of hit me towards the end of my career when I thought about it, because it makes so much sense.
You want to understand. It helped me understand what a manager's role is. A manager's role isn't teaching the game to these big players. The manager's role is almost like being a psychologist, trying to get into these players' minds and understanding who they are, what they want, what they need in order to fulfil their potential. That's what a manager is today.
And he was able to do so during his time at Manchester United for 25 years, creating a dynasty, creating a legacy that will never die. Actually, it's not one of; it's the best run of any manager at any club in the history of the game. So, having been a part of it for those few years is something I'll cherish forever.
Sir Alex Ferguson Treats All Players The Same!
I actually contacted him during February and March when I had my farewell game in Florence, and I wanted him to be there. He wasn't able to come because it clashed with a family birthday party, and the timings didn’t work out.
It would have been amazing for him to have been there, but just knowing that he would have been there if it wasn't for that, just meant the world to me.
I've only played there for three years and got around 16 games under my belt, something very small. But it just shows you the grandeur of a person that he is. He's somebody that treats all his players the same, and therefore, I have big respect for him.
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