MLS chief responds to Messi artificial turf fears with Beckham feelings clear

19 July 2023 , 17:10

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Lionel Messi may have to play on an artificial surface for new club Inter Miami in the coming months (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) (Image: Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

MLS commissioner Don Garber has suggested that Lionel Messi could play on artificial turf in MLS and follow in the footsteps of former superstars in the process.

The Argentine icon departed Europe for the first time in his club career to join Inter Miami this month, with his transfer to America a landmark moment. The 36-year-old is used to playing on grass after starring in Spain and France's top leagues, but there is a possibility that he could have to play on artificial turf in MLS.

Although a grass surface is in place at the Herons' temporary home at DRV PNK Stadium - where the forward will play the majority of his games - Seattle Sounders, Portland Timbers, Atlanta United, New England Revolution and Charlotte FC all have artificial surfaces. In addition to this, four more teams have hybrid surfaces that combine grass with reinforced roots along with synthetic fibres.

With away trips to Atlanta and Charlotte still to come in the MLS Eastern Conference for Vice City, it is very much a possibility that the World Cup winner would have to play on these surfaces.

MLS chief Garber has said that grass could well be installed on top of artificial surfaces in the coming months, if a permanent transition to the former is not pursued by MLS clubs. He told the Athletic: "That’s going to be the decision of every club when they do travel to those stadiums that don’t have natural grass.

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"My expectations are that that’s what they will do, but there’s a lot of work that needs to be done to figure all of that out. MLS promotes a lot of international games and we have been able to bring natural grass into those stadiums, but we’ve never done that for a regular season game."

He did point out that former stars of the game have, indeed, played on artificial surfaces in spite of prior concerns, including Thierry Henry and Kaka. He said: "I think a lot of international stars come into Major League Soccer and they are either intrigued or concerned about not playing on grass.

Thierry Henry, New York Red Bulls, during the New England Revolution Vs New York Red Bulls, MLS Eastern Conference Final, second leg. Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA. 29th November 2014. Photo Tim Clayton (Photo by Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images)

"And then you see some of the best players who’ve ever played the game, the (Thierry) Henrys of the world and Kakas of the world, who played on turf. So I think that’s a process that will have to play out over time."

Back in 2007, the former England captain David Beckham spoke out on the subject, telling Canadian newspaper the Globe and Mail that he was not an advocate of playing on artificial surfaces. The then-LA Galaxy player raised concerns about the suitability of FieldTurf as opposed to grass, explaining that the surface would not be suitable for athletes like himself due to the difficulty of the recovery for the players involved.

He said: "As a professional athlete, you can't play a game like soccer on that sort of field, what it does to your body as a soccer player, you're in bits for three days after that. Every game, every team should have grass, without a doubt. You can't ask any athlete to perform at a high level on the FieldTurf."

Despite Beckham's comments many years ago and his views on the subject, some teams are still using artificial turf. And that might be another adjustment Messi has to make in the comments months.

Tom Beattie