Home of football statistics and historyThe recent reports claiming that Lionel Messi is close to extending his stay with Inter Miami were music to the ears of anyone with a vested interest in Major League Soccer (MLS).
According to BreakingTheLines, the Argentine playmaker is one of the primary reasons for Miami’s commercial success. However, his impact spreads much further than that.
From Miami’s perspective, retaining Messi would be massive news for the club. Managing owner Jorge Mas has handled the talks and thinks the deal will be agreed soon.
“The stars are aligning for something great, for a beautiful future for the club and for Lionel,” he told FDP Radio Miami. “It’s solely his decision.
“I expect that within 60-90 days we’ll have to determine all of this. My hope has always been – and everything we’re doing – is to see Messi play at our new stadium in 2026. Hopefully, that happens.”
The club’s upcoming move to Miami Freedom Park is an exciting development and could have a major influence on their fortunes in MLS for many years to come.
The 25,000-seat stadium is part of an ambitious 131-acre development which includes a public park, entertainment and hospitality venues.
The 2025 season will be Miami’s last at the 21,550-seat Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, and the club is desperate to have Messi on board when they move.
Messi’s presence in North America has undoubtedly raised the global profile of MLS. It has also had a broader impact on the way soccer is perceived there.
The sporting landscape had traditionally been dominated by American Football, basketball, baseball and ice hockey, while soccer was little more than an afterthought.
However, the ‘big four’ sports have now transitioned seamlessly into a ‘big five’, and Messi has been a key driver behind the increased popularity of MLS.
Mas says Messi’s impact is similar to the boost Pele and David Beckham provided to soccer when they embarked on their respective North American adventures.
“He’ll change soccer radically, and it will be everlasting,” Mas added. “The Club World Cup is coming. Then the World Cup.
“For the first time in US history, the world’s biggest commercial market, the most popular athlete is an Argentine soccer player.
“That’s the impact he’s had and but there’s also the impact that the US has had on Lionel Messi. His brand and the legend that is Messi. Seven months after he arrived, he had his own Super Bowl advertisement.”
The point about Messi also benefiting from his move to MLS is an important one. Already a member of the billionaire club as one of the richest active athletes, Messi is financially set for life.
Despite this, the 2022 World Cup winner will continue to rake in eye-watering amounts of cash long after his playing days are over.
Messi will become a co-owner of the club when he stops playing, which will ensure his ties with Miami and MLS remain strong.
Mas says the club’s project will be a legacy ‘he can leave to his children’, but the impact will unquestionably extend much further than that.
The recent fixture between Chicago Fire and Miami highlights that point to perfection, with the match setting a new attendance record at the iconic Soldier Filed.
A total of 62,358 people watched the match, which proves that there is a thirst for soccer in North America if big names come to town.
If other top stars from the biggest European leagues follow Messi’s lead and head to MLS, soccer in North America would take another massive leap forward.
Miami’s move to sign Messi has already proved to be a game-changer for the club. The overall wider impact is yet to be fully determined, but looks nailed on to be positive.
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