More than 70,000 fans packed Arrowhead Stadium in April for Sporting Kansas City's match against Inter Miami — the third-largest crowd in Major League Soccer history.
For this epic game, Sporting KC defender Tim Leibold was responsible for defending Lionel Messi, a World Cup champion with Argentina and one of the greatest players of all time. That task requires supreme focus and quick decision-making.
Although Sporting KC lost 3-2, the 30-year-old German national held his own against Inter Miami's 37-year-old star forward.
Leibold recently spoke to Yardbarker about marking Messi, one of the most difficult jobs in soccer.
"You prepare differently for these games [against superstars like Messi] because you know there's no time for a mistake," Leibold said.
Leibold made his mark on the offensive side of the field in the sixth minute of the match, taking the ball from Miami's Marcelo Weigandt just across midfield. He took the ball to the top of the box before dropping a pass off to Erik Thommy, who netted the opening goal.
Leibold made an excellent play, but Messi's presence might have influenced him to not push up as far as he might like for fear of not being able to recover should Miami find itself on the attack.
"Messi being on my side impacts my decision-making 100%," Leibold said. "Great players like Messi know exactly where the space is. When they win the ball, they find the space and know exactly what the next step is. They are the best in the details and they're one step ahead. That's the biggest difference between him and your average player."
In the 27th minute, Leibold had Messi in front of him as Miami brought the ball down the left side. A pass came to Messi at the top of the box and Leibold quickly stepped up to pressure the Miami star, resulting in a saved shot.
A moment like that illustrates Messi's brilliance — he flashes into space and within less than a second of receiving the pass he puts a shot on goal. If Leibold didn't step up as quickly as he had, it could have resulted in a goal.
"You always have to be aware of what he's doing next," said Leibold. "He's just walking. He's not like every other striker or winger who makes a lot of movements. With him, you don't know what he's going to do and that makes him so difficult to defend."
Messi affects the defense simply by being on the field. Whether he's near the ball or 50 yards away, he causes defenders to tighten up and question what they're able to do. Can they push up as far as usual? Can they join the attack? All these questions cause a defense to perhaps be more timid than it normally would be.
"You're always paying attention to where he's at," said Leibold. "Even when we're attacking, you're watching him and wondering where is the channel for him when they win the ball back. He changes the game for his team, but he definitely changes the game for the other team."
For Leibold and other MLS players, they've seen up close what Messi and fellow Miami striker Luis Suarez can do. The fact that both players are in the twilight of their careers hasn't diminished what they're capable of on the field.
Leibold wonders how teams in La Liga, the premier Spanish professional league, defended against Messi and Suarez's FC Barcelona clubs, where they spent six seasons together.
"We were talking after the game," said Leibold of his teammates. "Imagine you have [Andres] Iniesta, you have Neymar, you have Messi, you have Suarez. So there's not just one guy. There's like four or five guys you have to constantly be paying attention to. You have to be locked in or you stand no chance."
For Leibold and fellow MLS defenders, the challenge of marking Messi is the challenge of a lifetime — one they won't soon forget. Unless Sporting KC, now in 12th in the Western Conference, makes the playoffs, Leibold won't play Messi and first-place Inter Miami again until next season. Whenever that next meeting comes, Leibold will be paying attention.
"You just have more respect for guys like Messi and Suarez," he said. "They could be quiet for 87 minutes and then they have two unbelievable touches that can decide the game for their team."
All quotations obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.
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In a summer already marked by high drama in the soccer world, Tottenham Hotspur captain Heung-min Son has delivered a stunning announcement: he will leave the club this summer after more than a decade of service. The 33-year-old forward confirmed his decision during an emotional press conference ahead of Tottenham’s preseason friendly against Newcastle United in Seoul. This match may now serve as his farewell appearance for the club. Spurs head coach Thomas Frank has confirmed that Son will start and captain the side in Sunday’s game. "I have decided to leave the club this summer. Respectfully the club is helping me with this decision," said Son. "It was the most difficult decision I have made in my career. Such amazing memories. It was so hard to make the decision. "I need a new environment to push myself. I need a little bit of change — 10 years is a long time. I came to north London as a kid, 23 years old, such a young age. I leave this club as a grown man, a very proud man. "I want to say thank you to all the Spurs fans for giving me so much love. I hope the goodbye is also good timing and this is the right time to make that decision. I hope everyone can accept that and respect that." Son joined Spurs from Bayer Leverkusen in 2013 and has since made 454 appearances, scoring 173 goals, sitting fourth on the club’s all-time scoring list. His final competitive outing is likely to remain the Europa League final victory over Manchester United in Bilbao, offering a storybook ending to a glittering career in north London. The South Korean revealed he made the decision some time ago, informing only a few teammates before speaking with Frank ahead of preseason. Son is reportedly exploring a move to Major League Soccer (MLS), with Los Angeles FC emerging as a leading contender. Interest from Saudi Arabian clubs also persists. He now becomes the latest high-profile departure at Spurs following Harry Kane’s 2023 transfer to Bayern Munich, as the club enters a new era under Frank, who joined from Brentford earlier this summer.
Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Jackson Chourio was tearing it up in July before he strained his hamstring legging out a triple. He was placed on the injured list, and it only got worse from there. Less than 24 hours later, manager Pat Murphy said Chourio would be out beyond the 10-day minimum and possibly at least a month. On Saturday, beat reporter Curt Hogg shed another tidbit of light on the slugger’s timetable. It’s not necessarily worse news, but Hogg’s update probably does not illuminate much. Fans already knew Chourio was going to be out a while after Friday’s report, so this latest info isn’t surprising. It isn’t all that encouraging, either. It certainly suggests no expedited return schedule. Not to make assumptions, but the emphasis on the location of the damage versus evaluating its severity seems to indicate the Brewers are just hoping Chourio avoided a worse-case scenario. In that case, caution would indeed be first in the order of operations. Only after ascertaining clarity would it make sense to seriously estimate a recovery timetable. That he won’t be ready to immediately resume baseball workouts further points to a slow, methodical recovery process. For however long he remains out, the lineup will miss him badly. Chourio’s 17 home runs rank second on the team behind Christian Yelich, as do his 67 RBI. His .786 OPS leads the offense among qualified hitters. In 90 at-bats in July, he hit .367/.408/.600. The Brewers are resilient everywhere, but without one of their few genuine power threats and hottest bats, plus an everyday outfielder, they are courting a potential offensive slump. The most fans can hope for from Chourio is that he returns fully healthy by the first week of September. Until then, Blake Perkins and trade pickup Brandon Lockridge should see plenty of playing time while Yelich takes more reps in the outfield after getting most of his at-bats this season as the designated hitter.
Adam Peters is still trying to put together an acceptable contract offer that works for wide receiver Terry McLaurin. But the Washington Commanders general manager has some crucial roster decisions upcoming with final cuts on the not-too-distant horizon. Training camp is in full swing. Preseason games and joint practices are upcoming, which represent a good measuring stick for the Commanders to determine the fate of some who have their respective futures hanging in the balance. There will be no sentiment whatsoever attached to the team's decision-making process. And for one multi-purpose weapon, his status is becoming increasingly precarious. Kazmeir Allen could be the odd man out in Commanders' offensive dynamic The competition for places is fierce. This bears more significance in the running back room, although Peters didn't do much to fortify the unit during a busy second recruitment period at the helm. Brian Robinson Jr. and Austin Ekeler will lead the charge. They have experience and proven production, but they will both need to improve to get new deals from the franchise next spring. And then, there's the presence of seventh-round rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt to factor into the equation. Croskey-Merritt has blazed a trail from the moment he joined the organization. He's flashed exceptional promise, which could lead to rotational involvement right out of the gate if he passes some difficult upcoming tests with flying colors. That doesn't bode well for anyone else looking to make the roster. Kazmeir Allen is among them, but it's looking unlikely that the dual-threat out of UCLA is going to find his name on the final 53-man squad. Allen has versatility. He can play at running back or wide receiver with minimal fuss. The elusive former undrafted free agent is also a dynamic kick returner. Unfortunately, the Commanders have a few others capable of picking up the slack in that regard. Ekeler, Jaylin Lane, Luke McCaffrey, Jeremy McNichols, and even Deebo Samuel Sr. have all been getting looks in the return game at training camp. Allen won't be giving up without a fight, but it's clear that he's further down the pecking order than ever before. There's a chance Allen can stick around on the practice squad, as he's done for the last couple of years. That represents the best-case scenario. A bold yet attainable objective for the third-year pro, even though he'd probably like something more substantial. How Allen performs in the preseason will ultimately determine his fate. But from the outside looking in, he faces a significant fight to change the narrative. More Commanders news and analysis
The Buffalo Bills will host the New York Giants on Saturday, August 9, in the preseason opener for both teams. Buffalo is coming off a fifth consecutive AFC East title and has the majority of its starters returning. That means there aren't a lot of prime jobs open, but there's still going to be plenty of intrigue as players fight for positions on the 53-man roster. That being said, here are three players who are trying to prove they belong and need to show they can handle the pressure in Preseason Week 1. Laviska Shenault, WR/KR Buffalo might not have anyone who has proven to be a WR1, but they have a deep receiving corps nonetheless. With Keon Coleman, Khalil Shakir, Joshua Palmer, Curtis Samuel, and Elijah Moore on the roster, it feels as though the first five spots are set. The Bills could decide to keep six receivers, with Laviska Shenault as one of the candidates to earn that spot. For Shenault, the key to making the roster will be his work on special teams. While it would help his case to prove he can contribute on offense, his skill as a return man is what sets him apart. He needs to prove that he's their best option in this role, which he can begin doing this weekend. Dorian Strong, CB Like the wide receiver position, the cornerback room is deep in Buffalo. Christian Benford is the leader of the group, and Tre'Davious White is expected to start across from him following the LCL sprain suffered by rookie Maxwell Hairston. There's also Taron Johnson, who has the nickel role locked up. Their bench consists of players such as Dane Jackson, Cam Lewis, and Ja'Marcus Ingram. That means it will be tough for Dorian Strong to crack the roster, even though he's been a standout in camp. Strong needs to continue his strong performance in the preseason, which would prove to the coaching staff that he's just as capable in live action. Mike White, QB Mitchell Trubisky is currently the No. 2 quarterback behind Josh Allen, but Mike White has been making a case for himself. The former New York Jets signal-caller has had an excellent camp and has a lower salary than Trubisky. His recent play has heated up the QB2 competition, and he can really make a push for the job with a strong showing in the preseason opener. More Buffalo Bills News: Khalil Shakir becoming Bills' WR1 by perfecting 'Joe Brady routes' Bills' unsung veteran 'opens it up for so many people' in Joe Brady's offense 'Hard Knocks' viewing schedule for 2025 episodes starring Josh Allen-led Bills Bills avoid disaster with promising rookie CB's practice injury diagnosis Bills' undrafted WR improbably produces top practice play on pass from Josh Allen