Welcome in ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, to RFK Refugees Podcast.

Michelle Kaufman from the Miami Herald discusses the impact of Lionel Messi’s arrival on Inter Miami and MLS. She shares her experience covering Miami soccer before Messi and how the team’s profile has risen with his presence. Kaufman also discusses the challenges of roster compliance and negotiations, as well as the motivation of players to stay with Messi. She highlights the difference Messi makes on the field and the team’s performance without him. Kaufman also shares her predictions for the upcoming game against DC United.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction

00:39 Covering Miami Soccer Before Messi

01:17 Miami’s Rise in Soccer Relevance

03:08 The Pursuit of Messi

04:18 Global Interest in Inter Miami

05:03 Impact of Messi’s Arrival on Miami Herald

06:11 Messi’s Arrival as a Game-Changer

07:21 MLS Compliance and Roster Challenges

08:01 Tension and Negotiations in Roster Changes

09:23 Players’ Motivation to Stay with Messi

10:21 The Impact of Messi on Miami and MLS

11:44 Messi’s Influence on Teammates and Opponents

15:36 Messi’s Impact on Miami’s Performance

20:53 Messi’s Availability and Traveling with the Team

29:30 Expectations for the DC United Game

35:23 Prove It Game for Inter Miami

39:14 Scoreline Prediction

39:57 Where to Find Michelle Kaufman’s Work

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Vamos!

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