In July of 2023, Lionel Messi shocked the football world when he moved to Inter Miami of the MLS. Messi joined the Miami team on a free transfer from PSG and signed a 2-and-a-half-year contract worth up to $20 million. It seemed like an extremely large investment from the MLS club but after six months, the deal was worth every penny.
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Messi joined the club late in the MLS season but was right in time for the inaugural Leagues Cup tournament, where MLS teams competed with LIGA MX teams in a month-long tournament. Messi gave Inter Miami their first-ever trophy after guiding them to the Leagues Cup final and defeating Nashville SC on penalties. Messi scored ten goals in the tournament and is the current all-time top goalscorer in the tournament's history, which started in 2019.
Messi couldn't help Inter Miami to qualify for an MLS playoff spot as the team placed 14th in the Eastern Conference. The team was struggling to compete and was in last place for most of the season before Messi arrived. Due to Messi's arrival, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba also joined. The Inter Miami team was a must-watch for many football fans across the globe since it was a little reunion to the old FC Barcelona days. The trio would play games together, and it brought back memories of the prime Barca in the mid-2010s.
Messi's impact on the club and the league is huge and got the attention of other people who don't watch football. Celebrities like Selena Gomez, Lebron James, and Peso Pluma would come to watch games at the DRV PNK Stadium. Inter Miami was also named the most Google-searched sports team of 2023.
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In 2024, Inter Miami is now valued at $1.02 billion, which is a 74% value increase
According to Sportico, Inter Miami was valued at $585 million before the arrival of Lionel Messi. Six months after the Argentine arrived, Inter Miami is valued at $1.03 billion and has increased by 74%. Inter Miami is the third most valuable club in the MLS, and only four of the teams are valued at over $1 billion. Atlanta United is second, with a valuation of $1.05 billion, while first is LAFC, with a valuation of $1.15 billion.
