Messi mania turns Miami into America’s soccer city – as big decisions loom

It is the Hollywood scriptwriters’ dream, and the tournament’s organizers are making it a reality.

In the last 16 of the Club World Cup, Lionel Messi will face his former team and the reigning European champions.

The Messi factor is likely to be a major factor in Inter Miami’s clash with Paris St-Germain on Sunday in Atlanta, which is expected to have one of the biggest crowds so far.

Inter Miami and Messi’s entry into the expanded, revamped tournament sparked a lot of controversy.

For this expanded 32-team edition, Fifa gave a US club a one-time host-nation slot in a one-off rule.

And they chose Inter Miami, who are the 2024 MLS Supporters’ Shield winners because of their best regular-season record, as opposed to the LA Galaxy, who won the MLS Cup play-off.

However, despite the pre-tournament skepticism, Inter’s unbeaten start in the group games qualifies them for the knockout stages on merit.

Next up is PSG, the current best football team in the world, that Luis Enrique has chosen as the greatest player of all time.

Inter Miami are well-versed in the concept of using Messi’s ace to his full potential when using it.

The Argentine’s winner against Porto marked his 50th career goal for the club and made Miami the first Concacaf region team to defeat a major European team in an official match.

Since then, they have already advanced to the knockout stages, sending Porto home and setting up a mouthwatering clash with Messi’s former employer PSG.

Messi has never lost a major international match in the group stage, including Inter, Argentina, Barcelona, PSG, or any other major international competition.

His current role, however, may be a little different from what it was in the past.

He plays much more ball-collecting in a defensive midfield and defense position these days, allowing him to launch attacks from a further backfield either with runs through the middle or by spreading passes to either wing.

What is unwavering is a fierce competitive spirit and a burning desire to win, above all else.

His anger and frustration, which he displayed when Inter Miami lost a two-goal lead to Palmeiras in the final group game, were evidence of this. Rather than that Inter Miami would lose the game, it was simply because it meant they failed to win the game.

The Messi effect extends far beyond what happens on the pitch itself.

When Messi signed for Inter Miami two years ago, the club was only three years old and was currently owned by Sir David Beckham.

Because he knew they already had a project in place that would make Miami the beating heart of US football, he chose them over the Saudi Arabian offers for world records. He is still reportedly the highest-paid player in the MLS, but for a significantly lower salary than other players.

The Inter Miami model has allowed for the arrival of the best players, as well as forgetting relationships with the owners, the players, and ultimately the academy.

And when he retires, Messi will be able to co-own the franchise.

He would have joined Barcelona and played for nothing or, to make matters legal, for the minimum wage if Barcelona had been able to offer him anything even slightly comparable.

In the end, the much-anticipated talk of his return to Catalonia amounted to little more than politically expedient hot air in an effort to appease the masses despite conversations with then-manager Xavi about a role similar to the one we’re currently seeing at Inter Miami.

Barcelona did not provide any kind of contract or explanation for how to register him if he returned.

Miami has become the soccer capital of America since Messi’s arrival, according to their word.

Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba have all attracted a higher level player, giving the team greater focus, fans, victories chances, sales, and profits.

The current top-down attitude of the club’s under-17 team won the 2025 MLS NEXT Cup title in Nashville just days prior to the event.

Around 16, 000 youth athletes are currently being considered for a youth tournament. The interest in “football” is growing, a large portion of it being the result of Messi’s arrival.

Inter Miami’s influence extends beyond American borders, too.

The club currently sells more shirts than Juventus, and Messi’s shirts are featured in Vogue magazine.

Success results in greater success, with more sponsorship opportunities, sold-out corporate boxes, a waiting list, and numerous footballing legends contacting representatives about potential accession.

However, they are unable to accept any more substantial contracts under the MLS roster.

A winning team has been created by the Messi effect much sooner than expected. There is a footballing frenzy that ensures that wherever Messi plays, every stadium is packed. They have won two awards in a year and a half.

According to reports, MLS teams have generated more than $80 million (£58 million) in additional revenue when Inter Miami visits through dynamic ticket pricing.

When 62, 358 fans flocked to Soldier Field in Chicago in April, making their record for a football game, they attracted a record-setting crowd.

The largest home crowd in the history of the Columbus Crew and the largest non-NFL crowd in Huntington Bank Field stadium, was 60, 614 fans when Miami first played at the stadium.

Will he give Inter Miami his future?

The Messi family is in good shape in Miami after a disappointing two-year stay in Paris.

Messi is happy if his family is happy. His wife Antonella represents Tiffany in the US and collaborates with Adidas.

Messi watches each of his three sons’ games while his three sons all compete in youth teams.

According to those close to him, negotiations are ongoing to extend his stay at the club. He has a year’s contract until the end of it, but there hasn’t been a definitive agreement on an extension.

However, he has stated that this will essentially be the place where he will end his professional footballing career, despite football constantly demonstrating that nothing should ever be taken for granted.

What about the World Cup in the summer of 2016? Nobody is familiar with Messi, not even the most famous one.

He is currently just playing it tournament after tournament.

If he renews and stays in America, he’ll make adjustments as necessary, but for the time being, he’s just going with the flow.

Everyone involved wants to see him take the helm of Argentina’s World Cup preparations in 2014. However, he hasn’t made a decision until after it is all over.

Let Messi make his own decision, that is how you should approach him. However, some people believe that his final national team game might be the 2026 World Cup.

The only thing he has on his mind right now is how to create Luis Enrique’s PSG’s biggest shock.