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Gonzalo Higuain admits he thought he could play in MLS with a 'cigarette in his mouth'

By Lizzy Becherano

Gonzalo Higuain playing for Inter Miami CF against New York Red Bulls
Gonzalo Higuain playing for Inter Miami CF against New York Red Bulls / Ira L. Black - Corbis/Getty Images
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Inter Miami forward Gonzalo Higuain revealed he originally thought Major League Soccer would be easy enough for him to play with a “cigarette” in his mouth. 

Gonzalo Higuain first joined Inter Miami in 2020 for the club’s inaugural MLS season and quickly became a key man in the starting XI. The Argentine has made 16 overall appearances for Inter Miami, recording five goals and three assists. Though he hoped to cruise into the league with European experience as an advantage, he recently disclosed that it wasn’t the case. 

While speaking on Christian Vieri’s Twitch channel, Higuain explained: "I thought I would come here and play with a cigarette in my mouth and, instead, it is difficult.

"It is a tough league. I learned that it is similar to Italian football. In Spain and England it is easier to do well, while in Italy, if you do not know the league, you suffer."

Prior to joining Major League Soccer, Higuain featured for Serie A giants Juventus from 2016 to 2020. Throughout his three seasons, the Argentinian forward made 135 overall appearances and recorded 60 goals in all competitions. Higuain’s numbers and dominance began to dwindle as time progressed, only scoring eight goals in his last season for Juventus. 

Cagliari Calcio v Juventus - Serie A
Gonzalo Higuain playing for Juventus against Cagliari Calcio in Serie A / Emanuele Perrone/Getty Images

"I couldn't find the right determination and serenity outside of football," Higuain added on why he left Serie A.

"I had nothing more to give. A great friend of mine like Buffon told me: 'If you no longer feel that fire inside in training, if you no longer feel the determination to be at high levels, you have to go'. Football gave me a lot but it was time to say enough and find joy and fun and new football in a city that surprised me because it was wonderful."

After his Serie A departure, Gonzalo Higuain landed at Inter Miami to start his journey with Major League Soccer’s newest expansion team at the time. The South Florida club currently stands in 11th in the Eastern Conference with only eight points in eight games. Despite head coach Phil Neville’s efforts, Inter Miami has faced a plethora of challenges that forced a slow start to the season. 

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