Major League Soccer has seen world-class players coming to the United States since the 2000s, with David Beckham, Thierry Henry, and more paving the way. However, one Manchester City legend believes the impact of Lionel Messi has been significantly more.
Lionel Messi Hailed for Starting ‘MLS Revolution’
Messi moved to the MLS in 2023, after his PSG contract expired, and joined Inter Miami. The Argentine has been with the club ever since, and a number of his former teammates have joined him in Florida.
Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba, and Luis Suarez are joining him swiftly, and now Rodrigo De Paul has also made his move to the Eastern Conference side a permanent one. Manchester City legend Sergio Aguero believes they would not have made the switch without Messi’s influence and that it has led everyone to take the league seriously. He told Stake:
“I don’t know who isn’t taking the MLS seriously. Leo’s arrival caused a real revolution, and more and more stars are choosing to play in MLS. Every year the league improves, and that’s a fact.”
The Argentine said that the top players coming in are also bringing more fans to the stadiums, with fanbases in North America growing each season. The likes of Thomas Müller, Son Heung-Min, Wilfried Zaha, and Emil Forsberg also moved to the United States, and Aguero believes they have raised the standards, which has played a key role in fans showing interest.
Aguero added, “These are world-class players who choose the league and help improve the level of competition and the matches. You can really see it in the North American audience, which follows the games more closely every year.”
READ MORE: Christian Pulisic Told What He Has To Do To Be Considered ‘Best American Player’ Ever
Messi’s influence at Inter Miami is unparalleled as he has played a key role in his three seasons at the club. He started his career in the United States by winning the Leagues Cup in 2023, within weeks of joining the Eastern Conference side.
It was their first-ever silverware, and they have not looked back since. The Herons followed it up with the MLS Supporters’ Shield in 2024, but could not go all the way to clinch the MLS Cup.
They managed to do that in the 2025 season under Javier Mascherano, and Aguero believes that they were the deserving winners. He hailed Inter Miami as the best team in the league and added that the group has set the standards for years to come.
