(Fort Lauderdale) Il est là. Juste là. La conférence de presse du CF Montréal venait de se terminer. On quittait le vestiaire du club dans le Chase Stadium. On ouvre la porte. Et Lionel Messi apparaît devant nos yeux.
Il prend des photos avec des joueurs et des membres du personnel de l’équipe qui venait de l’emporter, 3-2, contre son Inter Miami. Son garde du corps Yassine Chueko, qui parle français par ailleurs, est encore et toujours à ses côtés. Dans le couloir, Messi porte la même chemise noir et blanc avec laquelle il est apparu à plusieurs reprises à l’écran d’Apple TV durant la rencontre.
David Sauvry, l’adjoint de Laurent Courtois, le défenseur Gabriele Corbo se font prendre en photo avec Leo. D’autres joueurs, comme Sebastian Breza et Lassi Lappalainen, assistent à la scène.
Mathieu Choinière s’avance. Il sort son maillot de l’Argentine. Et le fait signer par le champion du monde. Yassine Chueko, en professionnel visiblement habitué à ce genre d’exercice, aide Choinière en étirant le chandail pour que l’artiste Messi puisse apposer sa signature sur un canevas bien droit.
Choinière indique à ses coéquipiers que le cadeau n’est « pas pour [lui] “. Breza’s eyes light up. ” It’s for me ?! » In the euphoria of the moment, we did not know to whom Mathieu Choinière intended to offer this precious gift. Our suggestion, Mathieu: keep it to yourself.
We film the scene. No one else captures this moment. Choinière asks us to send him the video afterwards.
The Quebecer has a big smile.
” It’s crazy. He has an aura! », he will say. He has chills. He is not the only one.
And just like that, after about thirty seconds before our eyes, the elusive Lionel Messi continues his journey into the bowels of the enclosure. The moment quickly passed, but certainly not on its way to being forgotten.
“Shared feelings” of not having confronted him
This meeting with the Pulga took place in the best possible context for Montrealers. They had just defeated Inter Miami by a score of 3-21. They did not have to deal with the biggest star in international soccer, absent from the match, having been slightly injured after the match against Nashville last Thursday, and put on rest due to a busy schedule.
They were therefore able to make the most of this little chance visit, without any real downside. Besides the fact of not being able to share the pitch with the “GOAT”, says Samuel Piette. The CFM captain spoke of “mixed feelings” when questioned about the matter.
“We all wanted to be able to say that we played against the best player of all time,” he said with a smile. But at the same time, we know how much he could have hurt us, especially at the end of the match. It was a good thing we didn’t play against him today. »
Laurent Courtois agreed that his “guys were disappointed not to play against” Messi. “But hey, it’s still Inter Miami, we saw that it was still quite hard. »
We leave the stadium. On the way out, we come across supporters gathered at the fence. They are waiting to see the Miami players come out of the enclosure. After a few seconds of trepidation, here is Luis Suárez, at the wheel of his car, who hits the road. The fans greet him and shout his name, but he is already gone, swallowed up in the rare darkness that hides these stars.
1. https://www.lapresse.ca/sports/soccer/2024-03-10/cf-montreal-3-inter-miami-2/le-cf-montreal-l-entreprises-contre-un-inter- miami-sans-messi.php