When Lionel Messi made the decision to join Inter Miami CF in 2023, the football world had two reactions: excitement at seeing the greatest player of all time arrive in America, and sadness at the implied acknowledgment that his best football was behind him. Two years on, the evidence suggests both reactions were partially correct and partially wrong.
At 37, Messi is not the Messi of 2011. The explosive change of pace that made defenders look foolish is diminished. He is slower to recover when dispossessed. He manages his minutes carefully, and Miami have been careful not to overload him with fixtures.
What hasn’t changed
And yet. The football intelligence, the passing range, the ability to conjure moments of magic from situations that mere mortals would find irretrievable — these remain completely intact. In the last MLS season, Messi scored 14 goals and contributed 18 assists in 26 appearances — numbers that would make him a starter at almost any club in the world.
His goal against New England Revolution — a free-kick from 30 yards that curled into the top corner with the precision of a surgeon — trended globally for 48 hours. His no-look assist to Luis Suarez against Nashville was the kind of pass that makes you forget you’re watching a sport rather than art.
The broader impact on American football
Messi’s arrival has been transformative for the MLS’s commercial standing. Stadium attendances across the league are up 23% since his arrival. Apple TV, which holds the MLS broadcasting rights, reported that games involving Miami draw ten times the global viewership of non-Miami fixtures. He has made the league matter.
How long?
No one — including Messi — is saying how long he continues. His current contract runs through the end of 2025. A one-year extension feels likely given his fitness and engagement. When he goes, football will mourn — but Miami will retain his legacy.
Chukwu Vincent Ogbonnia is the founder and lead editor of Viralarena, a Nigerian digital media platform covering breaking news, music, and sport. Based in Abuja, Vincent is a content creator passionate about telling Nigerian stories with speed, accuracy, and cultural authenticity.
Chukwu Vincent Ogbonnia is the founder and lead editor of Viralarena, a Nigerian digital media platform covering breaking news, music, and sport. Based in Abuja, Vincent is a content creator passionate about telling Nigerian stories with speed, accuracy, and cultural authenticity.
