Lionel Messi, the greatest soccer player of all time, has recently added another trophy to his cabinet becoming the most decorated player in football history. This win was even more special because it was the first trophy he had gained ever since moving to the MLS (Major League Soccer), and the fact that he worked his way to make the worst team into one of the best. 

When Messi first announced his new signing with Miami, the world was shocked. It wasn’t long since he had won the World Cup and showed good form in PSG, posing himself as an eminent candidate for the Ballon d’Or. Many thought it was too early for him to leave the European stage. There were many other viable options he could choose, such as the Saudi league, if he prioritized money. I speculate that Messi chose the MLS for a noble purpose, to instigate a new soccer craze in the USA.

MLS is already experiencing the benefits of bringing Messi into their league. Their subscribers are nearly doubling, and they gained a profit of over 240 million dollars. Some may argue this is a temporary attention that would recede upon Messi’s departure and it is true to a certain extent. I believe that the initial boost for attention in soccer is important in the USA because if more people are captivated by the charm of soccer, I am sure that MLS can become one of the best league in the world. As evidence, the NFL consists mostly of American viewers but still has a market value of 16 billion dollars, which is more than the market value of the top 4 European leagues combined. Messi could be the perfect start for MLS growing up to match the NFL.

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