The 23-year-old Maximilian Kissel from Wiesbaden could soon have the honor of improving on assists from a certain Lionel Messi. The background to a remarkable story.
The second most important piece of news of the past year reached him when he didn’t even know that it would be important for him. In October of last year, a certain Lionel Messi, probably the best footballer in history, extended the exorbitantly paid old man’s contract at Inter Miami until December 2028. Messi would then be 41 years old.
What followed two months later leads to the core of the story: the most important news of the year for Maximilian Kissel, 23 years old, grew up in Wiesbaden, lives in the USA. The student, who plays soccer very successfully for the University of Vermont, took part in the Major League Soccer (MLS) draft in December and was actually selected by a club. Inter Miami, logical.
Train with Messi once
The club, which is headed by world star David Beckham as an investor, secured the services of the young Hessian talent in the fifth and last attempt. Overall, Kissel was ranked 90th among MLS clubs, so pretty much the bottom. And yet: a dream comes true for him.
It is still questionable whether the Wiesbadener, who played in Germany for SV Gonsenheim in the youth ranks and in the Hessenliga for VfB Ginsheim in the adults, will ultimately be used in the MLS. During the preparation, however, he will be able to recommend himself for further tasks. This also means that joint training sessions with the big stars, with Messi, but also with Luis Suarez (formerly FC Barcelona, FC Liverpool, among others) or Rodrigo de Paul (Atletico Madrid), are within reach.
Kissel is already experiencing successful times in the USA. Almost exactly a year ago he became an absolute hero at his university. The Vermont Catamounts, the name of the student team from the northeast of the USA, secured the most important title in college football for the first time in their history. The winning goal scorer was, of course, Maximilian Kissel. “I briefly had a heart attack,” he described to hr-sport at the time, “and then I was just relieved that the ball landed in the goal and we won.”
Marco Reus as a footballing role model
You have to know: College athletes in the States are treated like (small) stars, they don’t just train like local amateur footballers, but under fairly professional conditions. Own physiotherapists are part of this, and charter flights to distant away games are no complete exception. Kissel also reported having to fulfill a number of autograph or selfie requests, especially after his decisive winning goal.
Last season, the offensive man, who has technique and speed and calls ex-Dortmunder Marco Reus (now in the MLS with LA Galaxy) as a footballing role model, scored five goals in 15 games and prepared four more goals. The recommendation for the MLS was out – and Inter Miami snapped up the deal.
