Toronto FC Turn to Ex-MLS MVP to Imitate Lionel Messi Ahead of Inter Miami Clash

Sebastian Giovinco joined Toronto FC training sessions to prepare for Inter Miami.

Sebastian Giovinco revolutionized MLS ahead of Lionel Messi's time with Inter Miami. / Adam Pulicicchio/Getty Images and Megan Briggs/Getty Images

How do you prepare for Lionel Messi? It’s a question that has plagued teams for over 20 years, but Toronto FC have tried a new strategy—a Major League Soccer legend. 

Ahead of Toronto FC’s clash with Inter Miami on Saturday, the Canadian club brought in former superstar and MLS MVP Sebastian Giovinco to training sessions, with hopes that the MLS Cup champion and club legend could imitate Messi in training. 

Giovinco scored 83 goals for Toronto FC and helped the team reach two MLS Cup finals, as well as the Concacaf Champions League final. Although he has not played competitively since 2022, he remains with the club as an ambassador and stepped into training this week with hopes of channeling Messi’s presence. 

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“I can’t think of a better person to give us a feel for what Messi would be like,” Toronto coach Robin Fraser told The Canadian Press of the 38-year-old formerly known as ‘The Atomic Ant.’ “I would say Seba was the Messi of this league before Messi actually came to this league.

“He’s not match-fit at the moment, but he just has moments of genius…Every time I see him do something, like some of the passes he pulled off today, it just kind of makes me smile because it reminds me of the times when we were here and Seba was at the peak of his game and he was, in a lot of ways, untouchable,” Fraser continued.

Sebastian Giovinco: Free kick king. 👑 pic.twitter.com/ihOpSdLeKH

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) January 31, 2019

Through Giovinco’s career, he helped define a new generation of MLS Designated Players, joining Toronto FC from Juventus at 27 years old in 2015, bucking the trend of players only turning to the American top-flight at the end of their careers.

Giovinco helped lead Toronto alongside former U.S. men’s national team stars Michael Bradley and Jozy Altidore, reaching a peak in 2017 when the club captured a historic treble, including MLS Cup, the Supporters’ Shield and the Canadian Championship.

With the diminutive attacker’s quick dribbling and skillful free kicks, he led Toronto FC to its most successful spell in club history, a mark the club is looking to return to after missing the playoffs for the last four seasons and falling out of contention early in 2025. 

Yet, the future starts with finishing 2025 on a high note, and Fraser hopes his side can do that in their final home match by securing an upset victory after six straight draws. 

“We see ourselves creating a few more chances every game, and the chances are getting better,” he said. “I really feel like it’s a growth process, and we’re watching the team really mature week after week.”

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