- Argentine icon left PSG as a free agent
- Left Europe to chase American dream
- Enhancing his reputation in the USA
WHAT HAPPENED? The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner is already one of the most recognisable names on the planet, with his celebrity status transcending the chosen profession that has served him so well. The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain forward is looking to cement that status by chasing the American dream in MLS, with a spell in the United States allowing him to tap into a completely new market. Ex-USMNT star Twellman believes a move to Florida forms part of a much bigger project for Messi, with the 2022 World Cup winner eager to rival Chicago Bulls legend Jordan when it comes to power and longevity in the global sports market.
WHAT THEY SAID: Twellman has told The Mirror: “The Messi people in the group have asked the question for the last two or three years, ‘How can Lionel Messi become the next Michael Jordan?’ And people over here don’t understand what that means. PSG wore the Jordan brand, that is a basketball player in the United States that transcends sport, Michael Jordan. Messi’s people have asked the question, ‘ How can he become the next Michael Jordan?’ The only place to do that is the United States of America. They know that. The World Cup’s there in 2026, Copa America is there in 2024. Apple TV’s got the documentary along with Major League Soccer events. He and his family want to live in Miami. A lot of that was lined up for him and his people to answer that question or how he becomes the next Michael Jordan.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Twellman added on the business angle driving Messi’s move to Miami, with major competitions set to descend on America over the course of the next year years: “Now, he has said he’s not going to play in the World Cup in 2026. Would it surprise anyone if he does? Nope. Because he’s going to be there. He’s going to see it. The travel to play for Argentina now is just cut in half because he’s not travelling around the world now. So there’s a lot of things that are going to play a factor in that. But he wants to be a brand when he’s 50, 60, 70 years old. And I think he made the calculated decision on the backs of Apple TV, adidas, and Major League Soccer of saying, ‘I want to be the next Michael Jordan, I want to be the Michael Jordan in the sport of soccer’. And it’s still an untapped market. I don’t care what anyone says, how far we’ve grown in the United States. It’s still an untapped market and he’s going to be the brand for the next two-and-a-half to three years that everyone talks about as an Inter Miami player, that’s hard to calculate.”
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GettyWHAT NEXT? Messi has signed a contract with Inter Miami through to the end of the 2025 MLS season, but said deal includes an option for 2026 – which could allow him to help Argentina defend their global crown in the United States, Canada and Mexico. He has made an immediate impact since moving to the U.S., with an A-list audience attracted to DRV PNK Stadium while scoring five goals through just three appearances.