Lionel Messi, regarded by many as the greatest soccer player in the world, will make his debut in Major League Soccer this week. He comes to America fresh off of a World Cup win with Argentina, a victory that effectively cemented his legacy as one of the greatest players ever.
Messi spent the past two seasons of his career with Paris Saint-Germain F.C., where he had a successful but turbulent tenure. In May, when it became clear there would be no contract renewal between Messi and the club, the soccer world held its breath in anticipation.
Reuniting with his club of more than two decades, FC Barcelona, was on the table until Messi announced he would instead be moving out of the European game and taking his talents to Miami. There, he’ll join MLS expansion team Inter Miami CF, founded by former MLS star David Beckham in 2018.
The MLS has a history of importing some of the world’s best players as they wind down their careers. But Messi rises above the rest.
Messi arrives in Miami after a stint in Paris
Messi joined FC Barcelona by way of Rosario, Argentina, at age of 13, spending a few years with the club’s academy before rising through the ranks to make his first team debut. The rest is history.
With Messi, FC Barcelona won the Spanish league 10 times and was crowned champion of Europe four. In the process, he was awarded the world’s most prestigious soccer award, the Ballon d’Or, seven times.
It isn’t just the accolades that set Messi apart. He has assisted more goals than any player in the history of his sport and is second-most in goals scored, behind only Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr’s Cristiano Ronaldo.
How does Messi compare with some of the biggest stars in MLS history?
MLS is no stranger to some of soccer’s biggest names. World Cup winners like Thierry Henry, David Villa, Kaká and Andrea Pirlo have called the MLS home late in their careers. Most recently, Wales and Real Madrid star Gareth Bale scored for LAFC in the final minute of extra time in the MLS Cup final, sending the match to a penalty shootout his team would eventually win. But in nearly every category, Messi sets himself apart. The sheer number of career goals and assists to his name far exceed any other player’s, and his achievements along the way make him a different class of superstar.
It’s not just the number of goals and assists …
On average, Messi scores or assists nearly 1.2 goals per game, 0.35 more points per game than the next-most proficient star to play in the MLS, Zlatan Ibrahimović.
What will Messi bring to the MLS in Miami?
Inter Miami hopes Messi will bring a jolt to the team, which sits at the bottom of MLS’ Eastern Conference. Fortunately for Inter Miami fans, Messi brings some firepower with him.
In the weeks after Messi’s decision to sign with Miami, two of his former Barcelona teammates, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, have signed with the team.
Messi is expected to make his debut with Inter Miami in a Leagues Cup match Friday as his new team faces off against Mexican side Cruz Azul.
