Inter Miami have not built a strong track record in the MLS SuperDraft, but late in 2023, the club identified an unexpected gem. The Herons signed Italian midfielder Yannick Bright, a player coming directly from Serie D, who would go on to play a meaningful role during the season in which Inter Miami captured the MLS Cup alongside Lionel Messi.
The 24-year-old Milan native completed one of the most remarkable transitions in recent MLS memory, moving from Arconatese to lifting silverware in the United States. What began with a direct message on Instagram in 2020 ended five years later with Bright celebrating championships while sharing a locker room with Messi, whom he calls “Leo.”
“Winning with him is something incredible. If someone had told me this a few years ago, I wouldn’t have believed it,” Bright said with a laugh in comments published by La Gazzetta dello Sport.
The adjustment was immediate and overwhelming. From semi-professional soccer in Italy to a locker room filled with global stars, Bright admitted the leap required a complete mental reset. “I asked myself what I was doing there, but I understood that I had no choice other than to rise to the level,” he said. His first encounter with Messi left a lasting impression. “The first time I saw him, I almost passed out. He’s humble, with a special aura. Calm off the field, an animal on it.”
Lessons learned from Busquets and Alba
Miami also became a classroom for Bright, who absorbed daily lessons from veterans such as Sergio Busquets, Luis Suarez and Jordi Alba. “Playing like Busquets is almost impossible. I remember Alba correcting a pass that was perfect, just because it didn’t arrive with the exact speed he wanted,” Bright recalled.
Bright’s personal bond with Messi
Despite not being part of Messi’s closest inner circle in Miami, Bright described a genuine and frequent connection with the Argentine star. “We talk a lot about soccer. He talks to me about his family and asks about mine,” the midfielder said.
“He’s been a huge help over these two years, both on and off the field,” Bright added. “He told me he likes Italy and the matches he played at San Siro. When he beat AC Milan with Barcelona in 2011, I was also in the stands, thanks to my brother, who was playing in the youth system.”
Bright’s journey did not end with a championship medal. After leaving European soccer as a fourth-division player, he demonstrated the tools to return at a much higher level if he chooses. That belief was reinforced not only by Messi but also by Jordi Alba, who recently retired after sharing the same locker room.