Messi Miami: How the Argentine is Growing Soccer Globally

Messi Miami has taken the world by storm. The transfer of the world’s greatest soccer player to Major League Soccer has truly made a phenomenal impact on the game in the United States.

Back in mid-July, Lionel Messi signed for Inter Miami after his departure from Paris Saint-Germain. The Argentine was linked with a move back to FC Barcelona and could have signed a huge deal to head to Saudi Arabia.

Welcome to Miami, Exponential Growth Opportunity

Nevertheless, the 2022 World Cup winner decided to head to the US to play in the MLS. His signature has already made a massive impact on the sport in North America and I am sure that it will be felt for years to come.

With the 2026 World Cup set to take place across North America, the signing of Messi is set to grow soccer exponentially.

Below, I will attempt to take a look at the effects of Messi Miami so far and take a look at some projections for what his move could do for soccer in years to come. 

Messi Miami – Commercial Growth 

One of the principal reasons as to why Inter Miami wanted to sign Messi to the franchise was due to his immense global presence. Messi is one of the most beloved sportsmen to ever grace the planet. The Messi Miami project is set to provide colossal impacts. 

Like when David Beckham arrived at Los Angeles Galaxy from Real Madrid back in 2007, the addition of Messi is set to make a huge commercial impact on the MLS and soccer as a whole. It is thought that Inter Miami could be valued at around $1 billion after Messi’s arrival. 

The franchise has now become a global brand. Not only due to the fact that Beckham himself is the president and co-owner of Inter Miami but now due to the arrival of Messi.

Messi Miami Joins A-List MLS Celebrities

A host of A-list celebrities have been attending matches to go and see Messi play. The MLS is attracting more attention than it has before due to him playing in Florida. Here is a list of just some of the notable attendees to the Los Angeles FC vs Inter Miami fixture played on September 3:

 

Inter Miami itself is benefitting massively from Messi’s signing due to the sales of matchday tickets and merchandise, including soccer shirts. It is thought that the club may even quadruple their revenue from last year due to the acquisition of Messi. Messi Miami is proving to be an enormous driver of commercial growth.

US Men’s National Team star Christian Pulisic has said himself how important Messi is for soccer in the US and how he is helping popularize the MLS. Pulisic stated that Messi can only be a positive for the US to help promote the league globally. 

How has Messi been performing in the US? 

It’s Messi’s stunning performances that are helping that cause too. If he was to sign and not be scoring incredible goals, winning games for Inter Miami, the hype wouldn’t be as big. But he is still doing incredible things on the field and people are absolutely loving it. He has scored 11 goals in 11 appearances for Inter Miami. 

Messi has already won seven Ballon d’Ors and could make it an eighth this autumn after being listed as one of the nominees, whilst Cristiano Ronaldo was left out. Messi became the first active MLS player in history to be nominated for the prestigious award. 

There’s a good chance the Argentine wins the award too after lifting the World Cup with Argentina last winter. His impact on the MLS certainly won’t go unnoticed either as the 36-year-old continues to stun audiences across the world with his performances. 

Messi has also been performing in cup games too, such as his debut against Cruz Azul in the Leagues Cup. Not only is it in the US where people have been enjoying Messi play but it is across North America.

What are the long-term impacts of Messi Miami? 

It appears to be a fitting arrival for the Argentine. Messi won the World Cup less than a year ago to nail down the title of greatest ever soccer player. With the next edition of the tournament set to be played in the US, Canada and Mexico in 2026, Messi Miami will help drive demand for the sport in North America at just the right time. 

Even if Messi doesn’t play for Argentina by the time the finals come around, his presence in the MLS over the next couple of years should help push growth in preparation for the tournament.

Social media is filled with clips of goals, flicks and passes from the man himself. It truly is Messi mania with Messi Miami. Of course, cynics will continue to disregard the standard of soccer in the MLS. Messi is still too good to be playing in that league, despite heading towards the end of his career. 

However, it would be silly to look at it that way. People from all corners of the world have been able to enjoy the sheer class that Messi oozes every time he steps onto a soccer field. Now, those in the US can enjoy it first hand for the first time ever. 

How can the MLS grow from Messi Miami? 

Although it appears that just Inter Miami are benefitting right now from Messi’s signature, it should help improve clubs across the MLS and the US as a whole. It means more eyes are now watching the league on a consistent basis. 

As a result, that will bring more money in for franchises across the league and help their finances. Messi Miami will not only benefit Inter Miami but franchises across the MLS and US soccer. That is because it should increase sponsorships, merchandising and, in turn, attract more fans all round. 

Moreover, more and more better players will likely feature in the league, continuing to build the MLS as a brand over the next few seasons. With domestic players being able to play with higher quality soccer stars, that will also improve the quality of US internationals. 

Overall, that should help improve the quality of the league and thus grow its popularity. That is great news for soccer as a whole in the United States. Not only will its major domestic league improve but it will also enhance the USMNT. 

It’s looking good for soccer in North America right now. Who knows, maybe we could see a World Cup winner from CONCACAF for the first time in the near future. Messi Miami is certainly a huge driver across a plethora of aspects, all for the greater good of the sport.