Bigger than Beckham: Messi has the power to realise soccer’s potential in the US

Never before has MLS given up so much to sign a player. But with the 2026 World Cup on the horizon, the move could end up being a wise one

Lionel Messi is taking his talents to South Beach – or, more accurately, Fort Lauderdale. That’s where he will play this summer after it was confirmed Inter Miami have won the race to sign arguably the greatest player of all time. It is the biggest transfer in Major League Soccer history. Bigger even than David Beckham’s move to Los Angeles Galaxy in 2007.

Beckham changed the soccer landscape in the US. His move to the Galaxy didn’t just push MLS into the American mainstream, it made the league a viable destination for some of the sport’s most recognisable names, and they don’t come more recognisable than Messi. Beckham, an Inter Miami co-owner, has brought things full circle by getting the GOAT to MLS.

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