Lionel Messi is a 'culture shifter' - Rapper Fat Joe reveals how Inter Miami star turned him into a soccer fan

Messi has been the poster boy for the MLS since he moved to Florida in the summer from Paris Saint-Germain. He has been a massive influence on the league and guiding the Herons to their first major trophy, the Leagues Cup, has further fired the David Beckham co-owned outfit to global popularity which has seen revenue rise to a club-record$120 million (£95m) in 2023.

Fat Joe was not much into soccer but Messi's arrival lured him to watch the sport and even attended Miami's league fixture against New York Red Bulls in August, when the Argentine made his debut after coming on from the bench. The forward scored in that match which left the rapper on the verge of tears as he kept shouting “Messi! Messi! Messi!” from the stands at Harrison in New Jersey.

Speaking about Messi's influence to TIME, Joe Fat said: "I had to be electrified. This man is a culture shifter. He’s a GOAT.”

Not only Joe Fat but Beckham himself was spellbound by Messi's magic as the former Manchester United legend later revealed that he was hardly able to drive home after the Argentine's match-winning debut on American soil. The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner went on to score nine goals in the Leagues Cup-winning campaign but fell short of guiding Miami to the MLS playoffs.

Messi is currently on a break from football and will return to action in the new MLS season which is slated to kick off in late February 2024. However, the former FC Barcelona superstar just can't stop winning awards even when he is not playing, withTIME naming him their Athlete of the Yearon Tuesday.