Lionel Messi has reportedly agreed to terms to sign with Inter Miami, with the announcement from the GOAT himself expected later today.
There aren’t too many other ways to put it: this could be the biggest day in MLS history. Period.
The Goat himself, Lionel Messi (Via Fabrizio Romano on Twitter)
It feels, admittedly, super weird to say that given we’re talking about the arrival of a single player who hasn’t even so much as held up the Miami jersey yet, but that’s just the scale of Messi - he’s that big.
Regionally, he’s looked to as a literal God in his native Argentina, and as a savior in his long-time home of Barcelona. But globally, his aura doesn’t diminish. While obviously he’s universally known in the footballing world, his standing in the real world is arguably just as impressive, consistently ranking as one of the single most recognizable names and faces on planet earth.
If you want some concrete data, his 468 million Instagram followers could help provide some context. Compare this to other famous athletes like Lebron James’ 154 million, and it’s not even close. Thrown in names like Kim Kardashian and her 358 million followers, and you're at least starting to get to the same ballpark.
Messi as a literal god (Via Scroll.in)
But, it gets really funny when you compare it to Major League Soccer’s Instagram following, where you’ll find a cute, close-knit, fun-loving group of 2.2 million people that are keeping tabs on this league online. But that’s where this deity we call Messi is landing - Major League Soccer.
His impact on the league will be immense, but not entirely unprecedented, as we saw a similar situation go down in Los Angeles back in 2007 with the arrival of global superstar, David Beckham.
La Galaxy signed the Englishman when the league was very much in its infancy. Soccer specific stadiums were a rarity, big names were a scarcity, and financial collapse was a true possibility in the pre-Beckham era. But that all changed in a heartbeat with the influx of new eyeballs who all wanted a peek at ‘Becks’.
The unveiling of David Beckham at LA Galaxy (Via Daily Mail)
His two MLS Cups in six years were impressive, but that’s not what made Beckham’s time in the league significant. It was his ability to draw new attention to the young league and give MLS a sense of legitimacy that it lacked prior that defined "The Beckham Era".
While Beckham transcended the sport in ways that few before him ever had, Messi’s reach is, again, just a different beast.
Given what Beckham was able to do in 2007, in a time before social media took over, and in a time before soccer gained today’s relevancy in America, what Messi could do to soccer in this country today could be groundbreaking.
I’m talking sellout crowds everywhere Messi goes, international viewership to a league that, until now, has been largely devoid of foreign interest, new sponsorship deals, better infrastructure, and significantly increased investment all around.
Messi at Metlife Stadium in the 2016 Copa America (Via Sports Illustrated)
But above all, it will be a talking point. People in this country and around the world will be talking about Major League Soccer, whether they like it or not. I’m not sure there’s anything more valuable than that.
So, while we’ve taken our first steps on Messi’s MLS path today, I can’t even begin to tell you where this road will lead, only that it’s sure as hell going somewhere far from here.
Komentar