"Millions of fans unfollowed PSG and followed this no-name club" - Entrepreneur details Lionel Messi's impact on Inter Miami
Notable entrepreneur Alexis Ohanian has spoken about how Lionel Messi's move from Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) to Inter Miami impacted the Florida-based club. The legendary striker spent two years in Paris, before opting to leave Europe entirely, joining the Herons in the summer of 2023.
In the past year, he has led them to win the Leagues Cup - their first-ever trophy. More recently, they finished at the top of the Supporters' Shield with two games left, making it his second trophy since he joined the Miami club.
Alexis Ohanian, who is tennis legend Serena Williams' husband, spoke about Messi's impact - what he termed "the Messi effect." Speaking with basketball player Thanasis Antetokounmpo on the Thanalysis Show, Ohanian explained (via X):
“[Messi] moved from PSG, one of the biggest clubs in the world, to one of the worst teams in the MLS in Miami. Literally, millions of fans unfollowed PSG and followed this no-name club. That’s the power of the individual.
“The momentum is now really shifted. The most important story a team can tell is actually now about their players. Y’all are the reason people get in the seats. People scream and cry and feel so emotional. It’s not the logo, right? It’s the players in this new era.”
In the caption of the post on X, Ohanian wrote:
"When Messi left [PSG] and moved to [Inter Miami], Inter Miami SKY ROCKETED. Just goes to show it's about the player and their stories, not the logo. Fans crave a HUMAN connection in sports, and Messi is just the latest superstar example of how big this power shift is."
Lionel Messi most recently scored two goals in the 3-2 win over Columbus Crew that secured the Supporters' Shield for Inter Miami on October 2.
"We are building a franchise that can do special things" - Manager Tata Martino after Lionel Messi captains Inter Miami to historic Supporters' Shield win
Inter Miami boss Tata Martino has revealed the next step for Inter Miami following their first-ever Supporters' Shield win. Lionel Messi notably captained the club to glory, winning the 46th trophy of his career - a football record.
With the Herons winning their second trophy in two years, Tata Martino said (via Intermiami.news):
“I’ve always said Columbus is the best team in the league because of their continuity and their titles, but now we are showing that we are building a franchise that can do special things, a team that expects to win.”
The Herons still have another two games left in the league phase, before the playoffs begin. Lionel Messi, who has racked up an impressive 17 goals and 10 assists in 17 MLS games, will hope to add to his numbers and conclude the league season in style.