21 June 2023 , 16:00
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Sergio Aguero wants Lionel Messi's career to eventually take him to a reunion in Gerard Pique's Kings League after his stint at Inter Miami is done.
The striking pair are close friends having represented their country Argentina together for many years, having first encountered each other as youth players at a training camp back in 2005. The future seven-time Ballon d'Or winner Messi was preparing for the South American Under-20s championship, while his compatriot was representing the age group below and the duo soon hit it off.
They then went on to win gold at the Olympics in 2008 together, making a staggering 276 appearances for the nation during their respective careers. Fast forward nearly a couple of decades and the forwards remain as closely bonded as ever, with the former Manchester City legend Aguero having famously joined his countrymen on the pitch following Argentina's World Cup triumph in 2022.
Aguero had, of course, been forced to hang up his boots on the advice of doctors due to concerns over a heart problem a year previously. This said, one of the most enduring pictures from the on-pitch celebrations following the final win over France is of Messi on his friend's shoulder's holding the golden trophy aloft.
Now, the Eastlands hero is hopeful that the pair can be reunited as teammates once more in the future as his friend enters the twilight years of his career. Aguero now takes part in the seven-a-side Kings League competition set up by ex-Barcelona stalwart Gerard Pique, which has attracted superstars such as Ronaldinho, Andrea Pirlo and Andriy Shevchenko in the past.
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The tournament puts a different spin on the sport entirely, with a host of zany rules in play during the games in a bid to differentiate it from regular football. For example, sin-bin eliminations have been introduced and any stalemates are decided with a penalty shootout, which takes place from the centre circle.
On top of this, 'secret weapons' and 'jokers' are permitted to be used once during every game, with these unorthodox additions to the game leading to consequences. The ramifications of these features can result in anything from a free penalty to a team being told they have to end the game with a set amount of players.
BARCELONA, SPAIN - JANUARY 01: Gerard Pique, President of Kings League looks on during round one of the Kings League Infojobs match between Saiyans FC and Porcinos FC at Cupra Arena on January 01, 2023 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Manuel Queimadelos/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images) (Manuel Queimadelos/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)With Messi joining Inter Miami this summer, the 35-year-old has acknowledged that he may have to wait a while still to see his dream of reuniting with the departing PSG star come true. Still, he does hold out hope that the superstar will take part in a game at some point in the future.
He told ESPN: "We haven't spoken about it. I think it's a little complicated at the moment with the schedule, but I hope one day he can play for us."
Speaking about the competition, he added: "It's different to how I experienced the game as a professional, it's more about having fun and entertaining people. There are the novelty cards and we put on a bit of a show to entertain."