30 matches, 32 goals, and 17 assists — these aren’t the stats of a particular team, but rather how Lionel Messi wrapped up his 2025 MLS season with Inter Miami. Although on the collective front, the Argentinian superstar couldn’t guide his side to a second consecutive Shield win, his individual brilliance remained unmatched. Having topped the Golden Boot race, it was a remarkable improvement from last season, where he registered 21 goals and 11 assists in just 22 games. Yet, dominance is dominance. And there’s no denying that Messi has redefined it on American soil. At least, that’s what soccer icon Gareth Bale believes! 

In fact, who better than the former Welsh star, who might not have gone head-to-head against the 2022 World Cup winner in the MLS, but has faced his wrath more significantly in La Liga. Both were rivals in the Spanish League, with Lionel Messi playing for FC Barcelona since 2000, rising through the La Masia ranks, and Bale joining as a “Galactico,” arriving at Real Madrid for a then-world record fee of $132.9 million. And while the arrival of the former Tottenham Hotspur winger was deemed as a good, Bale considers it his biggest mistake yet!

“In Messi’s time, it was a mistake to go to the Spanish league thinking that you will appear there, because there is a player who rules the league,” said the Cardiff-born star, as compiled by a fan account @maxstephhh on X. As Gareth Bale puts it, if any player is a goal maker, a striker, shoots or dribbles well, his only valid response would be “Messi is better.”

Well, to be fair, Bale was already familiar with Messi’s game even before he moved to Los Blancos. Just a year before his arrival from North London to Madrid, La Pulga had etched his name in the history books for scoring a record 91 goals combined in all competitions for Barcelona and the Argentina national side, breaking the tally of 85 etched by Gerd Muller for Bayern Munich and Germany in 1972.

Somehow, to this day, there has been no one who has ever broken this record; all have at least tried. And such was the thought of Bale as well when he joined Madrid. But that barely happened. “He will not give you a chance to appear. You play to play your role as a player only, because Messi has taken the game to another level. You can be the best, but you will not be like Messi because he has passed the level of being the best. Thank god I joined Real Madrid,” added the 36-year-old.

Boy, it is quite a heartwarming praise from Bale for the Argentinian skipper. It only describes the kind of influence Messi has had on the game that it even leaves his rivals in awe. Not to mention, this comes from a player who, as long as he kept facing LM1O on the opposite side, was also a teammate of perhaps the Argentine’s biggest rival, Cristiano Ronaldo.

Speaking of which, his views on the GOAT debate are very different. Back when asked to choose between either of these maestros, Bale said, “I’d say Ronaldo (is a more complete player).” Then again, this latest claim surely makes it evident he likes both players. That also explains why he gave special advice to Lionel Messi before his move to Inter Miami.

Lionel Messi seems to be following Gareth Bale’s MLS advice!

A couple of months before Gareth Bale lifted the MLS Championship with LAFC, Lionel Messi arrived in the United States to sign for Inter Miami. And for someone who had been in the country for quite a while before the 8x Ballon d’Or winner, it was his duty to equip his former European rival with the pros and cons of the league. “They know how to lose but they celebrate every win like you have won the championship. He will definitely enjoy it,” said Bale back in 2023, while commenting on Messi’s Miami move.

And that’s exactly what the former PSG superstar has been doing since then. Beyond showcasing his excellence to the entire American audience, he has left them somewhat in awe, with sold-out match tickets and jerseys as evident proof. Rest, his individual and collective brilliance, guiding the team as a skipper to their first-ever MLS Shield in 2024, as well as the 2023 Leagues Cup, even though it came with a lot of ups and downs, suggests that he is simply out there to enjoy.

And now, having extended his contract with the Herons to play until 2028 in their new under-construction stadium, adds another layer of excitement. So the following years give more time to ardent soccer fans to simply enjoy the presence of Lionel Messi in the game.