Leading up to a rare match between Inter Miami and the Seattle Sounders last year, Sounders midfielder Obed Vargas was thrilled at the prospect of meeting his heroes: Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez, Jordi Alba, and Sergio Busquets.
However, Vargas wasn’t just there to meet the former Barcelona legends; he was also focused on defeating them and the rest of Inter Miami, as the 2025 Leagues Cup was at stake for the winner. During a standout performance, Vargas faced the ire of the stars he once idolized, prompting a confrontation with several Miami players.
“I never intended to provoke or upset them,” Vargas told ESPN. “But given how the game unfolded and my performance, it might have riled them up a bit. Ultimately, my priority was the team’s victory — that’s what [Messi, Busquets, Suárez, and Alba] taught me.”
Since Messi’s arrival in MLS in 2023, along with other prominent players, many long-time MLS athletes have found themselves in a unique situation: transitioning from admiring their soccer icons from afar to challenging them on the field.
Vargas, who was born in Anchorage, Alaska, had emulated Busquets’ defensive playing style. As he adopted a more offensive approach, he sought guidance from Messi and Suárez. Despite his admiration, Vargas recognized that once the match began, his heroes became just competitors.
As the Sounders took the lead toward a win, tensions escalated, leading to a moment caught on camera between Vargas and Messi. Viewers could’ve mistaken their interaction for an argument, but it soon turned into a lighthearted exchange as Vargas wrapped his arm around Messi and smiled.
“If it were someone else, I might have gotten drawn into the confrontation, but with Messi, I just laughed. Honestly, I thought to myself, ‘You’re Messi, the greatest ever, and you’re frustrated with me?'” Vargas explained. “… It was amusing to me, and I tried not to let it consume me; there was never any intention to fight.”
“I was thinking, ‘Why are you getting wound up about me? You can do whatever you like on the pitch; I’m nobody compared to you.’ That’s why I laughed, but maybe he perceived it differently. It was a special moment for me, but I knew I had a job to do and had to keep playing well.”
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Inter Miami CF vs. Seattle Sounders FC – Game Highlights
Inter Miami CF vs. Seattle Sounders FC – Game Highlights
This year, Vargas joined Atlético Madrid, but he began his career with the Tacoma Defiance, a Sounders reserve team, before moving to the Sounders in 2021, where he secured two trophies over five seasons.
Similarly, Sounders teammate Pedro de la Vega admired the same opponents. Hailing from Olavarría, Argentina, De La Vega attributed much of the joy felt in his home country to Messi. He expressed prior to the Leagues Cup final: “My family, friends, and those closest to me are thrilled that I will face Messi in the final. So am I, but I’m trying to stay composed and focused on the game to perform at my best.”
Though the Seattle Sounders forward didn’t find the back of the net in the final, he was actively involved in offense, resulting in another fiery moment on the pitch. He admitted he felt added pressure when going up against players he regarded as “idols.”
“For me, Messi and Rodrigo De Paul are the greatest. They are world champions and my idols, and these moments happen during a match,” De La Vega stated. “I tried to remain focused on the game without letting those feelings overwhelm me. Obviously, facing those players as an Argentinian brings extra pressure, but I kept my focus and did what I needed to do.”
When then-Monterrey forward Brandon Vázquez confronted Inter Miami during the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinals, he was equally determined to perform well, even while being a fan of Messi, Suárez, Busquets, and Alba during their time at Barcelona.
“Before the game, it was like, ‘Wow, I’m really going to play against these guys,'” Vázquez shared, now with Austin FC. “There were moments on the field when I would watch Messi on the ball or see him passing to Suárez, and I thought, ‘Holy s—, I’m playing against these legends.’ It felt surreal, like an out-of-body experience, especially when I watched Suárez break away toward my keeper.”
Vázquez scored in the second leg of the tie, leading Monterrey to a 5-2 aggregate victory that eliminated Miami from the competition. Tensions flared in the second leg, resulting in yellow cards on both sides and a red card for Alba.
In contrast to the spotlight often on Messi getting into it with MLS players, there are instances where the latter has faced criticism for appearing overly respectful or starstruck on the pitch. Following Miami’s 4-0 elimination of FC Cincinnati in the Eastern Conference semifinals, FCC defender Teenage Hadebe enthusiastically swapped jerseys with Messi, despite being part of the defense that allowed four goals. (He later donated the jersey.)
In 2024, New York City FC player Maxi Morález even revealed he prepared a week in advance just to ask Messi for his jersey before playing against Inter Miami, referring to it as his most coveted possession. While NYCFC managed a last-minute equalizer to finish the match 1-1, Morález had already organized the jersey swap with Messi before the final whistle.
However, during the following year, Morález and Messi found themselves embroiled in a heated exchange during the MLS Eastern Conference semifinal, leading fans to speculate about what was said between the two players.
For players like Vargas and Vázquez, who have triumphed over Miami and faced their heroes, these encounters serve not just as memorable moments but as opportunities for growth. When asked about valuable lessons learned from their experiences against the Herons, both players highlighted the importance of competition.
“What I’ll take away is their passion and commitment to winning,” Vargas remarked. “Anyone can show that level of intensity, but observing how they compete and their dedication to the game was inspiring. They’ve achieved so much, yet they still prioritize winning in these matches — it’s a reminder that if I want to progress, I must always strive for victory. Every match matters, and that’s the key takeaway for me.”