Explained: Why ‘prime’ Lionel Messi is better for MLS than David Beckham as ‘top talent from Europe’ pushes for transfers

The Argentine icon completed a stunning switch to the United States during the summer of 2023. He is now 36 years of age, but has added an eighth Ballon d’Or and third FIFA Best award to his remarkable collection of honours since heading to America.

Messi inspired Inter Miami to a historic League Cup triumph within weeks of his arrival and is considered to still have plenty left in the tank. There have been famous names to have graced MLS before him, such as Herons co-owner Beckham and Swedish enigma Zlatan Ibrahimovic – who both took in spells at the LA Galaxy - but the all-time great is considered to have opened more doors than they did.

That is the opinion of FC Dallas president Dan Hunt, who has told The Dallas Morning News of how MLS has changed since welcoming Messi on board: “You’re talking about one of the greatest players of all time, if not the greatest. I mean, it really comes down to Lionel Messi or Pele. [Diego]Maradona was a great player, and I understand how people feel about him, but the league is so energised by this and the amount of top talent you see from Europe now wanting to play in MLS. We got great players over time like David Beckham, but now it’s guys still at their prime, wanting to come.”

More household names are expected to follow Messi to the States. He has already been joined in Florida by Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba. Among those said to be considering future switches to the States are World Cup-winning France internationals Antoine Griezmann and Olivier Giroud – who are currently on the books of Atletico Madrid and AC Milan respectively.