Lionel Messi is never a man of words. If he has anything to say, the whole world listens. And his interview with Zane Lowe on Apple Music recently only reassured something that perhaps a lot of us still underestimate: the MLS was really a true, ambitious and well-planned endeavor for one of the best players of all time.
Since he arrived at Inter Miami, Messi has not only increased ticket and shirt sales. He has legitimized a league that never wanted to be acknowledged but always desired it, taking its standards to a higher level and hastening a process that could have taken decades to become a reality. Moreover, he let the cat out of the bag that arriving in the United States was not an accident but a long-term dream.
“I always had in mind to play in the MLS.” His words are like dialogue from a play written years ago, just waiting for the perfect moment to come. And with the Leagues Cup trophy in hand and one Supporters' Shield on the wall, Messi now has a next goal in his sights: the MLS Cup 2025.
The Messi factor from revolution to consecration
M Messi's July 2023 move to Inter Miami was a tipping point. The club was transformed from potential to superpower, having an organization that could poach stars and build a roster that could compete for championships. But it isn't all because of the Argentinian phenomenon on the pitch.
Messi's influence transcends goals, assists and personal accolades. He has given the league a new face. If previously the MLS was an exotic place for veterans of the end of their careers, now it is a competitive field, with top-level games and increasingly European club scouts watching what goes on there.
The numbers are the response. The 2023 Leagues Cup win was the first major milestone, and then the 2024 Supporters' Shield victory. And if Messi had dreamed of taking the MLS to a new era, the facts confirm that he is doing just that.
The future of the MLS and Messi's influence
Messi did not come to the United States simply to say goodbye to soccer. He chose the Herons because he saw a club with potential, a growing league and a sporting culture that could be harnessed in a unique way.
His words leave no doubt, the intention has always been to build Inter Miami into a giant. He knows that his presence alone is a magnet for talent, investors, and viewers. With the spotlight on the MLS, clubs begin to get stronger better, fans start to watch more of the league and the league becomes more relevant globally.
And next step plan? Winning the MLS Cup. Messi has already made the point that the current team has been constructed to that end, and there is nothing to indicate the team will settle for anything less than that. The obsession with winning is no different than it ever was, and with him on the pitch, any club is a title contender.
A legacy that goes beyond the ball
What Messi is doing in the United States is unrelated to trophies. He is opening the way for the MLS to become a natural choice for the greatest players, and not only a choice for a golden retirement.
If up to now the league needed Beckham, Ibrahimovic and other big names to raise the awareness, today it has Messi as a reference point and as an ambassador. He believes in the MLS and wants to be part of the revolution. What's next for MLS Cup 2025? Too early to say. One thing is, however, true: when Messi talks, the world listens. And when he plays, the world stops. In America, history has already begun to unfold and it's going to be tremendous.