Lionel Messi’s son Mateo embraces NFL, idolizes Patrick Mahomes

Despite being the son of Lionel Messi, 8-year-old Mateo Messi seems interested in another kind of ‘football’ after spending nearly one year in the United States.

The Americanization of Mateo can be seen at the latest Inter Miami match, when he and his friends imitated Patrick Mahomes instead of playing soccer.

Is this a result of when Leo met the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback at a game in Arrowhead Stadium recently? It’s hard to say, but clearly the Messi family is starting to embrace America’s favorite sport.

Mateo starts as the quarterback, sending the other children, including Luis Suarez’s son, out to catch passes. Then, he takes a turn at wide receiver, making a diving catch on the grass at Chase Stadium.

Mateo is still involved in soccer, playing with the Inter Miami CF academy, but the post match pigskin toss left Messi Stans wondering about an alternate future where he does not follow in his dad’s footsteps.