This summer, Major League Soccer achieved a significant boost in popularity after Argentine soccer player and 2022 FIFA World Cup Champion Lionel Messi’s arrival at MLS team Inter Miami CF.
Messi is a well-known name throughout the world, even more so after he led the Argentine national team to victory at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Many soccer fans consider the player to have “completed soccer,” as Messi has won every championship there is to win and received every award possible.
Winning the Champions League, Supercopa, Copa del Rey, LaLiga title with FC Barcelona and several player of the year awards are a few of his best achievements. In the end, leading Argentina to victory in Copa America in 2021 and the World Cup in 2022 made him the most decorated player in the sport.
Messi’s move to the United States came as a surprise to many fans, as the player was highly wanted by teams in Europe and Saudi Arabia; he even received an offer of $1.6 billion from Saudi Arabian team Al Hilal. In Europe, the Argentine had a variety of offers to choose from after receiving proposals from teams in England, France and Spain.
Messi stated that he would only consider returning to his former club, FC Barcelona, but the club and the player were unable to reach an agreement for his return. Ultimately, Messi rejected the offers from both teams, deciding to make the move to the United States.
Luis Castañeda Navarro, a first-year student-athlete at Moorpark College, was hoping that Messi would return to his old club in Spain, FC Barcelona.
“I would’ve loved to see Messi play with Barcelona again, but I think it’s a good thing for the sport… [Messi’s move] will surely get more popularity for the sport in the U.S.,” Navarro says.
Messi’s contract to play for the MLS team Inter Miami is the biggest the American league has seen; $150 million in two and a half years. The popularity of the sport is finally starting to grow in the U.S. as more people are being exposed to soccer.
According to ESPN, David Beckham, Inter Miami’s co-owner, made some comments pertaining about the Argentine player’s move during a conference with Adidas, and how bringing a player like Messi to the MLS will brighten the future of soccer in the country.
“Bringing someone like [Messi] not just to Inter Miami, but to MLS, to America, it means so much,” Beckham spoke. “You have the eyes of not just Latina America, but the world on Miami.”
As a result of Messi’s move to the U.S. league, viewership for MLS matches has started to rise and ticket prices to watch the games in the stadiums have skyrocketed. To watch the MLS matches, a subscription to Apple TV+ is required.
CNBC Sports commented on Messi’s move and how it has impacted the streaming of soccer as a whole.
“MLS said subscribers have more than doubled since Messi’s arrival, and Spanish-language viewership on MLS Season Pass has surpassed 50% for Messi matches.”
After only two months of the Argentine playing as part of Inter Miami’s starting 11, MLS match views have risen not only on streaming services but attending matches in person has also started to gain popularity – even with celebrities.
On Sept. 3, 2023, Inter Miami played a match in Los Angeles against local team LAFC. Several celebrities attended the game, some of whom had previously never attended any sort of MLS match. LeBron James, Selena Gomez, Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Holland were a few of the big names spotted at the game in Los Angeles.
Navarro commented on this aspect of Messi’s arrival in America as well, noticing how not only did a lot of big names attend the match in Los Angeles, but they’ve been showing up since Messi’s first appearance in the MLS.
“Messi’s first game for Inter Miami, a lot of big celebrities went to go watch him, [and] even LeBron [James] went to one of his games to watch the greatest player to ever exist play.”
Even though some soccer fans may argue that Messi is finished after moving to the MLS, the player is proving that he still has a massive effect on the sport, no matter where in the world he decides to play. He’s already won everything there is to win in the sport; this is his time to explore new opportunities and experiences.
