Summary:
- Lionel Messi receives a thunderous welcome in his new home stadium in Miami as he starts his MLS journey.
- The soccer superstar's move to the United States is expected to inspire American interest in soccer and drive long-term growth of the sport.
- The groundbreaking deal worth millions includes broadcasting uptake profits and an option to purchase equity in the club.
The best number 10 in the world, Lionel Andres Messi, has begun his MLS journey, bringing Messi Mania to the United States and igniting excitement in soccer fans across the nation.
Last Sunday, amid a torrential downpour, the soccer superstar received a thunderous welcome in his new home stadium in Miami. Only seven months after lifting his first World Cup trophy for Argentina, Messi is now set to conquer a new frontier in soccer - the United States. The diminutive five-foot-seven player is expected to showcase his outsized talent and celebrity in the American soccer scene, akin to LeBron James playing for the Shanghai Sharks in China. The impact of Messi's arrival on American soil is already palpable, especially with one of the largest Argentinian populations in the country, residing in Miami.
As fans flocked to catch a glimpse of their hero during his first practice, there is hope that Messi's presence in MLS will inspire the next generation of soccer players and ignite long-term growth in the sport across the nation. With an inventive and groundbreaking deal worth an astonishing 50 to 60 million dollars a year, Messi's move to Inter-Miami, co-owned by soccer legend David Beckham, is a major milestone in U.S. soccer history.