The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner made an instant impact on Miami’s fortunes, playing a pivotal role in helping the team win the expanded Leagues Cup, a cross-border competition for teams from MLS and Mexico’s top flight.
Messi finished the campaign with 11 goals in 14 appearances across all competitions, but an injury towards the end of the season meant he was unable to help Miami force their way into the playoffs.
Messi was quoted by Time as saying that his first preference after PSG had been a fairytale return to Barcelona, but that move stalled over the club’s finances.
“I tried to return, and it did not happen,” Messi said, adding that he was also “thinking a lot” about joining the wave of overseas players who have headed to the Saudi Pro League.
“It was Saudi Arabia or MLS, and both options seemed very interesting to me,” Messi told the magazine.
Time said Messi’s arrival had driven a surge in attendances, ticket prices, merchandise sales and viewership, revealing that on the day of his debut, subscriptions to Apple TV — which retains exclusive rights to MLS — had jumped by 110,000, a 1,700% increase over the previous day.
AFP
