Former Inter Miami goalkeeper Nick Marsman rubbishes claims he was critical of Lionel Messi’s move to David Beckham’s team and says criticism he got at the time was ‘unpleasant’

Former Inter Miami goalkeeper Nick Marsman has admitted claims he was critical of Lionel Messi’s move to the team were ‘unpleasant’ and insists it was a ‘dream come true’ to play – briefly – in the same team as him. 

Messi’s arrival in South Florida was unsurprisingly greeted with immense fanfare earlier this year.

But Marsman wasn’t initially convinced that Miami’s signing of the Argentine was justified or a good idea.

Back in June, the shotstopper suggested that David Beckham‘s team wasn’t equipped to acquire a player of Messi’s quality. 

‘I personally think that this club is not ready for Messi’s arrival,’ Marsman said at the time.

The World Cup winner has dominated in MLS since arriving in South Florida in the summer

‘We have a temporary stadium, people can just walk on the pitch, there are no gates. 

‘We also leave for the stadium without security. I think they aren’t ready. But I hope he comes.’ 

Those comments did not go down well with the club or fans as they desperately hoped Messi would sign for them.

Just weeks after his comments, Inter Miami decided to terminate the 33-year-old’s contract and bought him out of his deal. 

Now Marsman has insisted he wasn’t trying to sabotage a move for Messi and says he was unfairly criticized.

‘Inter Miami is an ambitious club with big dreams where they try again and again to make the impossible possible,’ he told Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad.

‘But they were points that made me dismiss the speculation about a possible arrival of Messi at that moment.

 Marsman questioned whether David Beckham’s club was currently equipped for Messi in June 

‘Yes, that was a bit unpleasant. Everyone thought that I had given an interview after the announcement. And I did not want Messi to come. That is how it was presented. But that was not the case. In fact, for me it was also a childhood dream come true.

‘I said [to Messi]: “It’s not the way it’s told. It’s completely taken out of context”.

“‘No problem, I didn’t understand it all myself,” he said. The club also understood when I explained what happened. And they also agreed with me.’

The Dutchman joined Miami partway through the 2021 season after two years with Feyenoord in the Eredivisie. 

He made 29 appearances for the club but failed to make it into the starting XI, playing backup to Drake Callender since he stepped up from Inter Miami II in November 2021. 

In September 2023, Marsman joined USL Championship side San Antonio on loan from MLS as an MLS pool goalkeeper. 

The termination of his deal wrapped up a rough few weeks for Marsman after he was hospitalized in June.

He was hospitalized for three days by a spider bite he got from a family trip to the zoo, his supermodel wife revealed on Instagram.