Messi is 36 years old and Inter Miami an MLS-worst 5-14-3, but that’s minutia. Since Messi signed, Inter Miami vaulted from 900,000 Instagram followers to 10.4 million - more than the Knicks and Dallas Cowboys combined. He’s quiet and avoids the spotlight, which is why he’s house-hunting in Boca Raton and Delray Beach.īeckham did almost six hours of interviews at his introduction, but Messi talked just two minutes at his on Sunday.īut 20,000 fans still braved a torrential downpour to greet him. REUTERSĪnd the Messi Effect is organic, done with his play.

I believe we’re at a good point in time.” Lionel Messi was introduced with Inter Miami on July 16. “It’s more important how he is than how I am. “Leo is no longer carrying that large bag that he removed about seven months ago, that’s the most important thing,” Martino said. He sees one who’ll play even freer after having finally won his long-pursued World Cup last year. “For me personally, the fact Leo was here was even more incentive to come.”įor his part, Martino doesn’t see an aging player. “I’m excited to play with the best player in soccer ever,” Busquets said. Lionel Messi can help grow soccer’s popularity in the US. Inter Miami hired Argentine manager Gerardo “Tata” Martino who coached Messi in Barcelona, added ex-Barca teammates Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, and been linked with Luis Suarez and Andres Iniesta. And it’s a great time, with the World Cup coming in 2026.” And not just young people, players in different leagues may be saying, ‘OK I’m attracted the league now.’ So it’s going to have a huge effect on soccer in America. “So young kids now, they look at him and wow, this league has these sorts of players. … It inspires you even a little more - I can maybe get to play with these players. “I remember being young and Beckham came. “You add the greatest player of all time, it’s automatically going to bring popularity,” Inter Miami’s Deandre Yedlin replied to a question from The Post. Messi can capture the hearts and minds of American youth to take up soccer at a time when the opportunity and infrastructure is there for exponential growth. “Now we proved to the world that we can compete with the top player in the world, but how do we capture the hearts and minds of fans around the world? How do we capture the hearts and minds of every player?” “We want to be one of the top soccer leagues in the world,” MLS commissioner Don Garber said. Lionel Messi promises ‘great things’ as he gets hero’s welcome at Inter Miami ‘Unveil’ If he performs, he can make it a top-10 league in the world. No, not unseating the NFL or NBA or MLB, but he can give MLS a seat at their table. Beckham had to legitimize MLS.īut Messi Mania can make the U.S.

When Pelé - the man with whom Messi is vying for the GOAT title - joined the New York Cosmos in 1975, he had to force the American public into even acknowledge the beautiful game existed. Lionel Messi will make his MLS debut on Friday. A moment to change the football landscape in this country.”Īnd it wasn’t hyperbole. Inter Miami owner Jorge Mas crowed, “This is our moment. “I’m here to compete, to win, to help the team as I always did.” “I’m so happy to be here,” Messi said at Sunday’s introduction. The Argentine star’s arrival has been compared to both. Pelé was a trailblazer for soccer in this country, and Beckham a catalyst. Sixteen years to the day after David Beckham first took the field with the LA Galaxy, Messi is slated to debut Friday night for the team Beckham owns, Inter Miami CF, in a sold-out Leagues Cup match Mexican club Cruz Azul at DRV PNK Stadium. For years - make that decades - soccer in the United States has grown one small step at a time. Messi browses homes with wife after Inter Miami debutįORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. Meet Lionel Messi’s wife, who is a model and businesswoman Lionel Messi ‘circus’ ripped by Orlando City coach after controversial callĭerek Jeter attends first soccer game to see Messi, who immediately scores for Miami

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