Carlos Gómez: “I’ve always dreamed of playing alongside or against Messi”

The Colombian winger is looking forward to this evening’s 2024 MLS season opener between Real Salt Lake and Inter Miami and finally getting to play against his idol.

Juan Camilo RiañojuancamiloriaAndy HallUpdate: Feb 21st, 2024 11:18 EST0

Instagram / Real Salt Lake

Major League Soccer 2024 gets underway this evening. Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets will be in action with Inter Miami who host Real Salt Lake at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale.

A number of Colombian players will star in the opening game of the new season – Real Salt Lake have four Colombians on their books. One of them is Carlos Andrés Gómez, recently back from playing the Pre-Olympic with the Under 23s; in the next few hours, he will fulfill one of his lifelong dreams: facing Lionel Messi in a competitive match.

The Real Salt Lake winger, who joined from Millonarios in January 2023, spoke at a press conference prior to the season opener and acknowledged his excitement about facing one of the best players in history. He confessed that the Inter Miami captain has always been his idol, but he hopes to get the better of him and end on the winning side tonight in Florida.

“It is a unique moment, obviously Lionel Messi has been an idol since I was little. I always dreamed of playing alongside him or against him. Hopefully, luck shines down on us. This is match we want to win,” Gómez told reporters in Tuesday’s press conference.

You know where they're headed 🌴 pic.twitter.com/a3ZQMCC4lJ

— Real Salt Lake (@realsaltlake) February 20, 2024

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The former Millonarios winger added that his goal is to maintain his high level in MLS and the kind of form which will allow him to be in contention with the Colombia national team. He made his senior debut for the Tricolor in December, playing friendlies against Venezuela Under-23s and Mexico (he scored a goal against the latter).