When asked about the impact of the loss on Inter Miami's star player, Leo Messi, Ibrahimovic emphasized that the defeat was not solely Messi's responsibility.
"Don't blame Messi for the defeat," Ibrahimovic said. "Inter Miami lost, not Messi. If Messi were playing with a better team, we would have seen a different outcome."
Ibrahimovic also pointed out the lack of teamwork and coordination among Inter Miami's players, stating that Messi was surrounded by "statues" rather than skilled teammates.
"Messi loves the game and can still perform at a high level, but he's surrounded by players who don't understand how to move without the ball," Ibrahimovic explained.
Ibrahimovic compared Messi's current situation unfavorably to his time playing with top-level teams, saying that Messi was "a big ghost who plays in a circus" when surrounded by unskilled players.
However, Ibrahimovic also acknowledged Messi's incredible talent, stating that "Messi is still Messi" and that he would be a force to be reckoned with if given a team of skilled players.