Messi ‘Magic’ Transforms Inter Miami

What a transformation Messi has brought to Inter Miami! From an 11-game winless run to four consecutive wins – quite the turnaround.

The excitement of once-rival-now-supporter David Beckham when record 7 time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi decided to join Inter Miami, despite interest from both Saudi Arabia and his beloved Barcelona, was telling.

Major League Soccer (MLS) had not just signed a former star living off past glories, but arguably one of the top two players to ever play the beautiful game. The impact of signing Messi captivated the masses, with Inter Miami’s Instagram following growing by a whopping 1.3 million in just four hours after the Messi’s signing was announced. #

It didn’t take long for Messi to make his impact known in MLS.

In his first appearance coming from the bench, with virtually the last kick of the game, Messi produced a walk-off winner for the ages with a sublime free kick into the top left corner. The Messi era in MLS was well and truly underway.

For most players, this could be career-defining, but for Messi, this is just what he does – producing exquisite skill and composure in those high-pressure moments on the world’s biggest stage is what the man has done ever since bursting onto the scene at Barcelona at the age of 16.

Impact of Messi

Fast forward three weeks and Inter Miami are now the most followed American sports team in history.

They now boast an astounding 13.4 million followers on Instagram. This is over double the count of the second most followed team, the New England Patriots, whom have a measly following of 4.9 million.

In the span of three weeks, Inter Miami have transformed from an inconsistent franchise devoid of ideas and creativity, into one of the most marketed sports teams in the world, with the “Greatest Player of All Time” at the helm.

Messi, in just three weeks, has captivated a nation with the incredible moments that have earmarked a spectacular career for the little wizard.

It remains to be seen what the long-term impact of securing Messi’s signature will have on Inter Miami as a franchise. However, one thing is for certain – with Messi’s signing, Major League Soccer’s global reach and interest will rise immeasurably. For as long as Messi is there to mesmerize the masses; the people will follow.

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