EFFECT the Messi

By: Juan Ignacio Riquelme. Sport Editor

he wait is over, and the excitement is overwhelming. Lionel Messi has achieved something that had never happened before: making football more talked about in the United States than the NBA or NFL. His arrival in MLS has sparked a revolution in North America. And in his first game in Miami, he demonstrated who’s the king of soccer with his last second shocking goal.

Despite the bad weather, the former PSG player received a warm welcome to the MLS with a massive event that was held at DRV PNK Stadium. Over twenty thousand people and press from all over the world attended the official presentation of Inter Miami’s new number 10, who was accompanied by his great friend and on-field partner, Sergio Busquets, also introduced as a new star of the team during the same event.

The captain of the Argentine National Team is causing a frenzy in North America, and his official presentation marked a historic event for the history of soccer in the United States.

Expectations to see him wearing the pink and black jersey were very high, and the world’s best player knows it. He stated that he is “eager to compete and win,” and he expressed his happiness in choosing this project. The “Ten” was seen smiling, enthusiastic, and committed to “helping the club continue to grow.”

Jorge Más, majority owner of Inter Miami, was ecstatic about the arrival of the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner. He emphasized that the club’s primary goal now is to compete for titles. They are working tirelessly in the transfer market to build a competitive squad. During the negotiations to convince Messi to come to Miami, they assured him of having a team that matches his level and surrounding him in the best possible way.

Joining Leo, is Gerardo Martino as the new coachwho had previously managed him at Barcelona and the Argentine national team - and confirmed the signings of Sergio Busquets, a multi-champion with Barcelona and a World Cup winner with Spain, and Jordi Alba. Both are great friends of Messi and were some of his best partners during his career in Argentina.

There are also ongoing negotiations to bring in Luis Suárez, one of Messi’s best friends and football partners.

Furthermore, the plan is to invest in young talent from South America and bring in some of the best U-23 prospects from the continent to complete the team. Currently, the team is struggling in the sports aspect, sitting at the bottom of the standings, far from the playoff positions.

The arrival of the world champion will completely change the course of a team that has not yet found its formula and that of the league. Rivals know this, and there is even speculation about possible structural changes in the MLS format to capitalize on the Messi boom and attract more stars and talents to the American league.

The Argentine signed a historic deal, befitting his stature, where, in addition to his salary, he will receive a percentage of jersey sales, broadcast rights revenue, and the possibility of acquiring a stake in an MLS team in the future, like what happened with Beckham when he joined Los Angeles Galaxy. Additionally, he will be the face of the upcoming Copa America 2024, to be held in the United States, and the plan is for him to also be the face of the 2026 World Cup, hosted in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Although Messi has stated more than once that he believes Qatar 2022 was his last World Cup, this scenario leaves a window of hope to see him in his sixth World Cup, which would make him the player with the most appearances in the history of the tournament.

During his first days in Miami, the impact has been immense. The club’s social media followers, views, and interactions have multiplied by ten. Jerseys with his name and the number 10 saw a price increase and are now sold out. Tickets for Inter Miami’s matches, which previously did not fill the stadium, are nearly sold out, and their value has skyrocketed.

It’s clear that Messi has come to revolutionize the city and the league. Soccer will be “Fulboll,” at least for a while. The change has already begun, and as Messi said during his presentation, exciting things will happen, and we will enjoy the ride.