In a groundbreaking move that shook the football world, Lionel Messi officially joined Inter Miami, a U.S.-based soccer team, in June 2023. This monumental transfer marked a significant shift in Messi’s illustrious career, as he ventured into a new football landscape.
One notable aspect of Messi’s transition to the United States is his language proficiency. The Argentinian football legend, renowned for his extraordinary skills on the pitch, faces a linguistic challenge off it. Messi does not speak English, which presents a unique hurdle as he adapts to life in the U.S.
To bridge this language gap, Messi took proactive steps by embarking on a language-learning journey back in 2020. According to an interview with the respected journalist Guillem Balague, Messi shared insights into his language-learning experience. While he can understand English to some extent, he candidly admitted that he has yet to achieve fluency in speaking the language.
In his own words, Messi reflected on his language journey in 2021, stating, “I’ve been learning English for a year and a half, but when you’re there in England, you get to learn it through necessity.” This glimpse into his commitment to language acquisition reveals a dedicated athlete willing to embrace new challenges as he navigates the vibrant world of American soccer.
However, all that effort may have been in vain. A recent video shows the footballer speaking English for the first time thanks to an AI tool at a press conference. Obviously fake, it just goes to show how far AI has come in the last few years.
Here is what he said in the short clip:
“Despite the unexpected nature of the situation, today we find ourselves in the final match. This game is for those who are unaware of our training, and don’t witness our day-to-day efforts. We were not prepared for this opportunity, but we will give our best to compete and strive for the title. It has eluded us in the past, but we are determined to achieve it this time.
I believe that the team has experienced significant growth especially since ‘Tata’ arrived. We are very happy to have achieved the first objective of being in the top three for Champions Cup qualification next year. And now we have the opportunity to play in the final. This is a great accomplishment for the team and we are excited to see what the future holds.”
Featured image: Credit: AgenciaAndes, Wikipedia
