Oscar Ustari admitted that playing alongside Lionel Messi is sometimes 'unbearable' because of his passion to win – and his ruthless attitude even shocked some teammates.
The veteran goalkeeper shared a dressing room with Messi for Argentina and all of last season with Inter Miami. The 38-year-old was full of praise for the current national team captain, telling DSports that the playmaker's incredible skill is no coincidence.
Ustari said: “Messi is unbearably competitive, he is incredible in everything. There are teammates who have never seen him before and they are surprised. Nothing is a coincidence at that level. You see his release is football, training, his good and proves who he is every day.”
Although Ustari and Messi were national teammates between 2007 and 2012, they rarely played together on the pitch at the same time. Both players were in the youth team when Argentina won the Under-20 World Cup in 2005.
Ustari has made just two appearances for Argentina in international friendlies, while Messi has 191 caps and 112 goals to his name – plus an Olympic gold medal and a World Cup.
After leaving Audax Italiano, Ustari signed for Inter Miami until the end of the season in September 2024, joining his compatriot in the United States. He has made just one appearance for the club, in a 1–0 win over the New England Revolution on 19 October 2024.
However, Ustari and Messi were both in the matchday squad when Miami won the Supporters Shield at the end of the MLS season, in a 3-2 victory over Columbus Crew. Messi lit up the match with two goals in the first half and Ustari watched from the bench.
The goalkeeper also explained that Messi is equally focused on and off the pitch and is always looking to make the club better than before.
Ustari, 38, said: “He enjoys what he does. The first day I arrived at the club he was doing pull-ups, and all the boys were around him. He treats everyone the same, he is very family oriented. very involved in the academy, he is on top of everything. I see him a bit like that. He will have to manage his image from a different place. I don't want to imagine him off the field.'
It is believed that Ustari has just signed a new one-year deal with Inter Miami, which will keep him there for the rest of the year, while Messi is also in the United States until December 2025. The 37-year-old did not do that. has officially commented on his possible move or retirement after his contract expires this year, but Miami could extend his contract through 2026.
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