Ustari on Club World Cup Debut: “All Eyes Will Be on Us”

Oscar Ustari is about to experience a unique chapter in his career: the Inter Miami goalkeeper will play in the opening match of the Club World Cup, hosted in the United States. Speaking exclusively with DSports, the veteran reflected on the weight of the moment and the experience of sharing a locker room with Lionel Messi.

“We’ll play the opening match and all eyes will be on us. What matters is enjoying it,” said Ustari, who acknowledged the challenge of facing Egypt’s Al Ahly while being under intense global scrutiny. “We’re forced to show our best. Wherever we go, there’s a massive crowd—it’s not just about performing, it’s about providing answers.”

Inter Miami’s group also includes Porto and Palmeiras, but Ustari remains focused: “No matter who we face, we must go one game at a time. We’ll be playing the best from each country, and we need to be fully alert to do well.”

On what it’s like to play alongside Messi, Ustari was candid: “Everyone knows what Messi brings, but in the U.S., it’s been amplified. There’s a big show aspect here, and we have to live up to it.”

Now in the final stretch of his career, Ustari described this period as “a dream ending.” Sharing the field with stars like Luis Suárez, Jordi Alba, and Sergio Busquets still feels surreal: “I’ve faced them all before, but it’s hard to get used to them being teammates. They’re on another level. We just try to close the gap.”

As for Messi’s possible appearance in the 2026 World Cup, Ustari admitted: “We tell him, ‘You’re already in the U.S., you have to play!’ (laughs). I don’t pressure him. He’ll decide, but as a friend and as an Argentine, of course we want him there.”