What will Messi's impact be on US soccer?

Lionel Messi coming over to the United States can have a profound impact on American soccer. Even though he is joining a fairly new MLS club, he is, indisputably, the biggest player to come to soccer in the United States in the last 50 years. It could be argued to be an all-time arrival for the sport, as only Pele can rival the prestige of the Argentine.

Pele drew mega crowds in his time with the New York Cosmos. Even though Messi is yet to feature for Miami, fans are lining up in droves to watch him play. In some cases, they are paying exorbitant ticket prices. Not only can this have a profound impact on the sport, but Apple and MLS will hope Inter Miami’s key signing will grow subscriptions to MLS Season Pass. Reports show Messi is getting a portion of MLS Season Pass subscriptions from outside the United States, so he can be compensated for bringing more eyes to the platform.

However, can Messi reach even more into the American sport? He is a bigger celebrity than almost anyone. Despite his relatively reserved lifestyle, Messi has millions of followers on his social media platforms. He ranks second to only Cristiano Ronaldo in Instagram followers, which is probably why Visit Saudi used him as a partner for promotion. Casual fans will want to watch Messi just to see what the big deal is, and how he compares to current American soccer standards.

The future-thinking question remains. What can American soccer be like with Messi playing a role?

Messi’s impact on American soccer

We want to know what you would think. With Messi coming to the United States on July 21 for a Leagues Cup game against Mexican side Cruz Azul, the options seem limitless. However, is that the case? Vote in the poll below.

There are more hypothetical options than just those listed above. Let us know in the comments below if you think Messi will bring some other outcome to the league or the sport in the United States.

PHOTO: IMAGO / ANP