Javier Mascherano claimed Lionel Messi could have been a defender as Barcelona icons to reunite

Javier Mascherano is set to be appointed as the new head coach of Inter Miami following Gerardo 'Tata' Martino's shock departure and has previously spoken about Lionel Messi's defensive qualities

Javier Mascherano, the incoming boss at Inter Miami, once boldly claimed that Lionel Messi could have been one of the "best defenders in the world" based on his training displays with Barcelona. 

The pair, who were teammates at Camp Nou, are poised for a reunion in Florida as Mascherano is set to take over from Tata Martino at Chase Stadium. Martino left the Herons following a surprise first-round MLS Cup playoff exit at the hands of Atlanta United, citing "personal reasons" for his departure.

Mascherano, the ex-Liverpool ace, is gearing up to join forces again with former Barcelona stars Messi, Sergio Busquets, Luis Suarez, and Jordi Alba. The 40 year old's tenure at Barcelona from 2010 to 2018 saw him be part of what many consider one of the greatest club teams ever, securing two Champions League titles and five La Liga crowns.

As he gets ready to collaborate with Messi once more in Miami, Mascherano's respect for the Argentine wizard is evident, having often praised the forward's skills. Remarkably, the soon-to-be Vice City manager even suggested that Messi's prowess in training could have seen him excel as a top-notch defender.

Former Barcelona stalwart Javier Mascherano has lavished praise on the incomparable Lionel Messi during a nostalgic interview with Shoot for Love, recalling their time as teammates. Emphasizing his versatility, Mascherano said: "If Messi were a defender, he would perhaps be one of the best defenders in the world.", reports the Mirror US.

He also described the futility of trying to outplay Messi on the pitch, stating: "It is impossible to get past him. Sometimes, at Barcelona we played one on one and it was impossible to get past him. We had no chance against him. Sometimes, attackers know how to defend. Leo defended very well. He was very fast and when you tried to dribble past him it was impossible."

In another fond reminiscence, he shared an anecdote about the competitive spirit of Messi, saying: "In Barcelona we did a short tournament in a training session with three teams: five victories and you were the champion. He decided to end the training session early, so he scored five goals for the team to win and the training session ended."

On the managerial front, outgoing Miami head honcho Martino reflected on his own connection with Messi while in Florida, before declaring his exit as manager. Martino stated: "We found ourselves at a good moment for both of us and maintained very close contact throughout this year and a half."

Remembering their interactions across three different teams – Barcelona, the Argentina national team, and Inter Miami – he admitted: "In this sense, I feel it was the best period of the three stages we've shared: Barcelona, the Argentina national team, and now Inter Miami."

The Argentine revealed: "I definitely made the decision before the first playoff game. Of course, no one, not even my coaching staff, knew about this final decision. We had three games to play-although we aimed for fewer with Atlanta-and I didn't want there to be any distractions."