Those fears were unfounded. Messi played and lived up to the hype. For every kid who used to get up early to watch him play games in Spain or learned soccer playing the FIFA video game. Messi still plays like the guy on their screen.

Inter Miami has been in talks this week to acquire Atletico Madrid midfielder and Messi’s Argentine World Cup-winning teammate Rodrigo De Paul during this summer’s transfer window, according to multiple reports.