Fernando Romero Nuñez 
“I love him lots.” That was all one woman could muster after watching Lionel Messi lead Inter Miami past Los Angeles FC on Sunday. The admirer could have been any football fan from Buenos Aires, Barcelona, Miami, or even Bangladesh, but it was American singer and actress Selena Gomez.
Gomez was not the only celebrity to gush over Messi at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, CA. The World Cup winner performed in front of a star-studded crowd that included Leonardo Di Caprio, Owen Wilson, LeBron James, Magic Johnson, and Prince Harry of England. In a few short weeks, the Argentine star has not only transformed his club into a national powerhouse but also made its games appointment viewing for football lovers across the globe — something previously unfathomable for fans of Major League Soccer.
Things were very different for Inter Miami not that long ago. Until Messi’s arrival, the Herons were one of the worst teams in the MLS, struggling to even capture the imagination of local fans. According to The Athletic, Miami had the league’s lowest average attendance in 2022, with 12,637 spectators per game.
Now, a little over a month after Messi first donned the team’s electric pink kit, the Fort Lauderdale-based club is expected to win or draw every match it plays. And until now, it has. As a result, Miami has vaulted from the basement dwellers of the Eastern Conference to League Cup winners and playoff hopefuls. For Inter-Miami co-owner Jorge Mas, Messi’s transfer to Miami has been everything he expected.
“People always talk about Pelé’s arrival in 1972 and the impact it had on football in this country, as well as [David] Beckham’s in 2007,” Mas told DAZN analyst Marc Crosas shortly after the Argentine signed with the Herons. “And I’ve always said that Lionel Messi joining Inter Miami in 2023 will have the biggest impact.”
“Lionel has the opportunity and the ability to change soccer in the United States,” Mas added. “It’s a historic opportunity, and the other owners in the league and I have to take advantage of it. Our goal is for the MLS to be on par with the Premier League in three or four years.”
The “Messi effect” has been felt far and wide across Miami, the MLS, and the world. Within 24 hours of his signing, Inter Miami’s Instagram followers jumped from 1 to 4.5 million —three times that of the league’s most popular franchise, the Los Angeles Galaxy.
Apple has also profited from Messi’s arrival stateside after announcing a 10-year deal to broadcast MLS games through its streaming platform, Apple TV, in 2022. The tech goliath had 300,000 new subscribers in August alone.
“We’re clearly in the early days, but we’re exceeding our expectations in terms of subscribers, and Messi going to Inter Miami helped us a little bit. So we’re very happy,” Apple CEO Tim Cook told Reuters.
Watching Messi live is also becoming a more expensive and exclusive experience, with ticket prices soaring in recent weeks. Sunday’s clash against LAFC became the most expensive MLS game ever, according to the online ticket website TickPick. Tickets sold for an average of US$690 per seat, a 500% increase over their previous value.
Actor and LAFC co-owner Will Ferrell admitted that friends contacted him for tickets as far back as May, a whole month before Messi even confirmed that he would be transferring to Inter Miami.
Owen Wilson, who shook hands with the 2022 World Cup winner after the game, compared being in La Pulga’s presence to standing before basketball great Michael Jordan.
Messi’s arrival has even impacted Miami’s real estate business. “In the last two months, we have had a boom in inquiries, especially for temporary rentals in the area,” Micaela Kupferman, director of sales at Miami Real Estate, told the Argentine site El Cronista. Kupferman added that these rental prices have doubled over a period of months.
Inter Miami’s biggest challenge
Gerardo Martino’s team will soon face its biggest challenge to date: life without Messi.
With the MLS season continuing during FIFA international fixtures, the Herons are set to host Kansas City on September 9 without their number 10, as Messi will be captaining the Argentine National Team against Ecuador and Bolivia in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
“Hopefully we can continue at the same level, although without Leo [Messi] it will be quite difficult because he makes the difference in goals and assists,” said Sergio Busquets, Messi’s teammate, after Inter Miami’s win in LA.
The former Barcelona midfielder admitted that the Herons will have to improve if they hope to clinch a playoff spot.
“We are on the right path,” Busquets said. “In a short time, we have already achieved many things, like a [Leagues Cup] title”, said Busquets.
Inter Miami will host Sporting Kansas City on Saturday, September 9, at 7:30 p.m. local time, 8:30 p.m. Argentina. An Apple TV subscription (US$7) is required to watch every MLS game, along with an MLS Season Pass (US$15 per month, US$99 for the entire season).
