Lionel Messi, one of the greatest soccer players of all time, took his talent to The United States to play for an MLS team, F.C. Miami this summer.

Many people are still wondering why Messi decided to leave one of the best teams (Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain) to go join an MLS team. There are several reasons why Messi shockingly departed to the United States though.

Ultimately, Messi stated that “after winning the World Cup and not being able to return to Barcelona, it was my turn to go to the league of the United States to live football in another way.” Essentially, Messi wanted to see the game from a different perspective.

However, there is a steep drop off in the level of talent from Barcelona to the MLS’s F.C. Miami, which left many soccer fans perplexed as to why Messi would undertake such a journey. 

One simple answer may be money. Although Messi left Barcelona, which paid him $118 million, if he was to stay on Inter Miami till 2025, he would earn a total of $150 million, including his salary and signing bonus. All things considered, including his ownership stake in the club, Messi is projected to make $1.6 billion on Miami’s MLS deal, according to Kurt Badenhausen from Sportico.com. Even though Messi is not playing soccer solely for the money, he would perfectly be set for retirement with the amount of money he’s being offered. 

Furthermore, people are wondering if Messi will play out his soccer career through the MLS. According to Bleacherreport.com, Messi said in an interview that he was at peace with his decision of leaving European Soccer after the World Cup with Argentina.

Another key thing most people are asking is where he will line up on the pitch. He will be most effective at the striker and in the middle of the field controlling the game. His vision and ability is absolutely nightmarish to defend against in the MLS because MLS players simply cannot compete with his skill level.

In addition, some people might be wondering what trophies Messi can already add to his impressive collection. The MLS Cup is the most coveted of them all. For Miami, F.C., however, they were at the bottom of the East when Messi joined the squad. Their poor performance to start the season may make it difficult for them to qualify for the playoffs this year. Regardless, the team will have an opportunity to seriously compete for the MLS Cup next season.

Even Though Messi is the best player in the world, the MLS physicality won’t be, “a walk in the park,” according to Bleachreport.com. There are players from all over the world who joined the MLS, and have been known for the physical aspect of soccer.

Moreover, Messi’s stats are already skyrocketing with nine goals in six games and a perfect Miami record of 6-0-0 since joining the team.

Below is a video of Messi scoring his ninth goal in six games on his new team, Miami FC, (https://www.foxsports.com/watch/play-6948afc07000102)

Messi’s presence has made more people watch the MLS. The MLS had around 1 million subscribers pre-Messi, but it is likely more people will be tuning in to watch because of Messi. For example, people who watched Messi on F.C. Barcelona, will now be able to watch him perform on F.C. Miami.

In addition, Messi’s skill and passion for the game has attracted multiple celebrities to attend his games, including Tom Holland (actor), Toby McGuire (actor), LeBron James (NBA player/Lakers), James Harden (NBA Player/76ers), Clayton Kershaw (baseball player, LA Dodgers), Will Ferrell (LAFC owner/actor), Tyga (music artist), Selena Gomez (music artist), Magic Johnson (LAFC owner), Hannah Stocking (comedian/content creator), and many more. The people who wanted to see him from the United States now finally have a chance to see him play.

Saint Paul’s sophomore and soccer player, Jacob Marcel predicts, “he will bring more views to MLS soccer and will influence more people to watch a World Cup champion on a new team.”

Furthermore, two other European stars have followed Messi to the MLS.

Ultimately, Messi moving to the United States will change the MLS and game of soccer in America for a long time.

Photo Credit: Héctor Vivas/Getty Images