Luis Suarez details Lionel Messi's influence at Inter Miami since his move, hopes to see football become at least the 'second biggest sport' in USA
Lionel Messi's Inter Miami teammate Luis Suarez has highlighted the impact of the talismanic Argentine in popularizing football in the United States. According to a report by GOAL, football is the fifth biggest sport in the country, behind American football, basketball, baseball and ice hockey.
Lionel Messi has been a revelation at Inter Miami since joining the club from PSG in the summer of 2023 on a Bosman move. The Argentine has helped the side win their debut Leagues Cup and the MLS Supporters Shield, recording 36 goals and 20 assists in 42 games along the way.
Lionel Messi managed to amass 23 goals and 13 assists in 25 games last year despite spending a substantial chunk of time on the treatment table.
Speaking to FIFA's official website, Suarez highlighted Messi's importance in developing football in America. According to the Uruguayan superstar, MLS can dream of becoming the second-most popular league in the United States if Lionel Messi stays long enough.
“I’d point to the influence that he and other players have had in terms of the youth set-up at Inter Miami and how the academy has grown in recent times. That sets expectation levels for the future with regard to the growth of the game, which isn’t the number-one sport over here," said Suarez.
He continued:
“The message that we’re putting out there is a special one and is part of the efforts to see football become at least the second biggest sport in the country - because what with the NBA and the NFL, the competition is fierce – within a few years.”
Lionel Messi's $12-million-a-year contract with Inter Miami expires at the end of 2025. It remains to be seen if the talismanic Argentine decides to extend his contract by a year.
David Beckham once claimed that Lionel Messi wants to return to Barcelona post-retirement
Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham claimed that Lionel Messi would like to settle down in Barcelona after he retires from professional football.
A teenage Messi first joined Barcelona's famed La Masia academy in 2000. In a few years, he rose through the ranks to debut for the senior side in 2005. He has racked up 672 goals and 303 assists in 778 games for Barcelona, statistically cementing his position as the greatest goalscorer and playmaker in the club's history.
In 2021, Messi left Barcelona to join French giants Paris Saint-Germain on a Bosman move. In an interview at the Davos Economic Forum earlier this year, Beckham claimed that Messi vowed to return to his boyhood club after retirement.
"I would like Leo to live in Miami when he retires, but Leo has told me that he only thinks about living near the Camp Nou. There is no player who loves Barcelona as much as he does. You can see the Barca badge on his leg and even on his water bottle," he said.
Messi won a plethora of individual and collective awards during his time in Barcelona, including six Ballons d'Or, three UEFA Best Player in Europe awards, six Golden Boots, four UEFA Champions Leagues (as per Transfermarkt), and 10 LaLigas among others.