Messi, 39, is returning to Miami, Florida, to face Cape Verde, a surprise team in the tournament, in the last 32.
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Few would have imagined that Lionel Messi would be leading Argentina to defend their World Cup title, playing in his sixth World Cup, after announcing Miami as his new destination.
The 39-year-old Messi is returning to Miami, Florida, to face Cape Verde, a surprise team in the tournament, in the last 32. It is a place he considers his new home.
Messi has already scored six goals in the group stage. In the process, he has also become the top scorer in World Cup history. He has scored 19 goals. Not only that, he has scored in the last seven games of the World Cup. After fulfilling his dream of winning the World Cup in Qatar, when he made Major League Soccer his new journey. Many thought that Messi was somehow heading towards retirement.
However, Messi has proven all such assumptions wrong, and that too in both senses. The first is that his impact on American soccer has been more positive than in reality. Second, his performance in international football has not been lacking in itself. It was only in 2018 that David Beckham and his friends founded Inter Miami. Since Messi arrived, it has also enjoyed the joy of winning titles.
Not only did Messi come, other stars playing in Europe were also attracted to the new MLS franchise team. Miami now has two former Barcelona players, Sergio Busquets and Jody Alba.
Inter has won that competition as a League Cup. In it, clubs from MSL, Canada and Mexico play. Last year, it got even better, with Messi Miami winning the MLS title for the first time in club history.
Messi, considered the greatest player in world football of all time, has had an impact in America both on and off the field. Juan Pugin, coach of the Revo Soccer Academy near Miami, says, “Since Messi came, football has grown in popularity here. Everyone has become an Inter fan. Our academy has also had a good impact. More and more people are coming to learn football now.’
This fact makes Lily Diaz, 69, who came from Buenos Aires, happy. She also likes to wear a Miyagi jersey. Diaz, who left her country a decade ago, believes that old memories are fresh because of the popularity of football these days. ‘It’s great for Argentina to have a player like Messi,’ she says. ‘It’s a matter of pride. He’s a role model for many young people.’
Johnny Fortes, 62, from Buenos Aires, has come to the US to watch his country play. He believes Argentina will reach the final. ‘I work different jobs during the day and at night. The only purpose of this was to come to the US to watch this World Cup. I’ve made a lot of sacrifices, but I’ve also received the full value of it.’ There are many like her who believe that Messi has revived football in the US once again.
