Lionel Messi will join Inter Miami and become 14th WC winner to play in MLS
Lionel Messi, reigning FIFA Men’s Player of the Year and World Cup Golden Ball winner held his introductory press conference with Major League Soccer’s Inter Miami CF on Sunday evening. This following his departure from Paris Saint-Germain.
Messi will become the 14th World Cup winner to play in Major League Soccer. He’s the first World Cup Golden Ball winner (tournament MVP) to play in the league.
Messi will be the 4th Ballon d’Or winner to play in the MLS, joining Kaká (2007), Hristo Stoichkov (1994) and Lothar Matthäus (1990).
The Adidas star joins (Adidas compatriot) David Beckham’s Inter Miami. The team is in last place in the Eastern Conference having failed to win its last 11 MLS games (0-3-8 W-D-L).
In fact, through the Leagues Cup Break, Inter Miami has the fewest points in MLS (18) and has lost a league-high 14 games this season with an offense that has mustered 22 goals, 2nd-fewest in the Eastern Conference.
Only Josef Martínez (6) and Leonardo Campana (4) have scored three or more goals on the team this MLS season.
Lionel Messi Impact On Inter Miami CF
Inter Miami is last in the Eastern Conference with Lionel Messi on the way. According to Stats Perform, only 1 MLS team since 2005 has made the playoffs after being in last place outright in a conference at least 20 matches into a season. That was D.C. United in 2018.
The morning of the day (June 7) when Messi announced he’d be joining Inter Miami, the club paid +10000 to win MLS Cup at Caesars Sportsbook (T-3rd-longest odds in MLS).
Those odds have moved up to +5000 (15th shortest), as of July 16. When Messi announced he’d be joining Inter Miami on June 7, FiveThirtEight’s SPI gave the club a 5% chance to make the playoffs, the lowest odds in MLS.
Inter Miami ranks 25th in average attendance in MLS this season and was last in 2022.
Lionel Messi’s records
Most FIFA World Player of the Year Awards – Man or Woman (7)
The Most World Cup Golden Ball awards (2, 2014 and 2022)
Most goals scored in LaLiga history (474)
Most goals scored for a single club (Barcelona, 672)
The Most titles in Barcelona history (35)
Most top scorer awards in LaLiga history (8)
Most consecutive top scorer awards in LaLiga history (5)
More on all of this on Shemon and Sheppard 2-6pm.