Lionel Messi would not be the first big-name star from South America to arrive in MLS. But the World Cup winner, who said last week he intends to join Inter Miami CF this summer, would almost certainly take things to a new level.
And those who have gone before him, making the choice to play in MLS despite offers from other clubs in Europe or in their home countries, say Messi would step into a totally different league than the one they enjoyed in seasons gone by.
“It’s night and day,” said Juan Pablo Ángel, who joined the New York Red Bulls from Aston Villa in 2007 and has worked with LAFC's scouting department. “The MLS I came to was still a league that was under construction. Designated Players were just starting with the arrival of David Beckham, which was a transformative moment in my opinion.”
Now a co-owner of Inter Miami, Beckham has encouraged Messi to join Miami. While other legends have taken a similar path, including the likes of Beckham, Ángel and Thierry Henry, this is a seminal period for soccer in North America.
None of the previous stars have any doubt that Messi has done his research and understands some of the challenges that await him in MLS. There are longer road trips than those in Europe, the roster rules encourage parity and unique weather conditions await across several time zones. Playing in a system with the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs is much different than his nearly two decades spent in Europe (single-table systems), too.
All this might take Messi some time to get accustomed to, noted former Portland Timbers star midfielder and MLS Season Pass analyst Diego Valeri.
“The level of competition, the talent of the players is something that may be really surprising to Messi and then the way the league is with the playoff system. It’s so competitive and even. Any team can make it. That’s something he should be aware of,” cautioned Valeri, who played for Portland from 2013-21. “That’s, for me, the big, big difference between the leagues.”
Ángel laughed when reminded of some comments he made about MLS’s playoff structure in 2007, putting it down to cultural differences and saying every player needs to understand the local culture both off and on the field.
The former Colombian international forward also noted Messi will encounter different kinds of players than he suited up alongside FC Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain in the past decades.
“Leo is used to playing with a really high level of teammates because of the clubs he’s been at. This level of quality in the full squad of a team is going to be tough to find. He’ll clearly miss that, having the best players in the world at his side,” Angel said. “I think Leo is aware of that, that he’s not going to have Mbappe, Xavi, Neymar or Iniesta next to him. He’s going to find a different type of player.”
Above all, these MLS legends find themselves in the same position as most fans: Excited to see what Messi could do in Miami colors and how he could lift the league’s profile globally.
“It made me really happy,” Ángel said of reading Messi’s comments and learning he’s planning to join MLS. “I have a huge level of admiration for him, and for me, he’s the best.
"But beyond that, I love MLS and am thankful to MLS and seeing MLS as capable of bringing Leo, through Inter Miami, when he just became a World Cup champion, when you see that he still has it in his body to play amazing football, man, the only thing it’s going to do is keep pushing forward the sport and the appetite for soccer in the United States.”
Valeri, who is Argentine, is ready to sit back and appreciate what Messi can do and hopes the No. 10 will find the same joy he found by coming to MLS many years ago.
“It’s so special, his career and winning the World Cup for Argentina. He’s kind of my generation because he’s almost my age. He’s a huge reference for all of us,” said Valeri. “I made a choice to go to MLS 10 years ago and having Messi make that choice in his career is fantastic for me and makes me happy.
“Having the chance to enjoy him after my pass through the MLS is just … it’s insane. It’s amazing. I really did enjoy it and want him to enjoy the league and say at the end of the road, ‘I made the right choice’ like it happened with me.”
The knock-on effect carries far beyond what most can forecast, said former Chicago Fire FC midfielder and Mexico national team legend Pável Pardo – with an eye on North America 2026.
"The fan base has grown, the passion for soccer has grown and you see it in the States with kids all saying they want to be professional soccer players," said Pardo. "Lionel’s arrival is going to grow that fan base and make more kids hope to be like Messi. Him coming before the World Cup, I think you’re going to see a before and after because the league will just keep growing after the World Cup."
