"I love playing here and I've found a home"

After coming through the academy at Watford, Jonathan Bond arrived at LA Galaxy in January 2021 via Reading, West Brom and seven loan spells. A former England Under-21 international, the 30-year-old goalkeeper is now enjoying life in Major League Soccer

- JONATHAN BOND & MATTHEW NASH

What’s it like to be playing in the US after arguably the greatest player of all time, Lionel Messi, signed for Inter Miami in the summer?

It’s exciting. There are inevitable conversations between everyone in the changing room about his performances, stuff that’s happened in their games and when we might play against him and Miami. We’d both have to make the MLS Cup final in December for that to happen this year, but next year it’s potentially likely we will play them. It’s something you can’t get away from, we definitely talk about it and we’re also excited about it. It is very good for our league and brings a lot of attention to MLS and we can’t help but be excited when he does some amazing things. It is in another Conference [the Eastern] so is a bit disconnected to us. He has started on fire and won the Leagues Cup, so that shows the difference he’s made. Off the pitch, it’s meant more subscriptions to [league broadcaster] Apple TV and a lot more shirt sales.

You’ve seen Gareth Bale come and go at neighbours LAFC, too. How does Messi mania compare?