Inter Miami owner Jorge Mas thinks MLS can be a top league with Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi shocked the world when he announced he would be leaving Europe to play with Inter Miami in Major League Soccer — and team owner Jorge Mas made a bold claim about the future of the sport in North America.

“I think there will always be a before and after Messi when we talk about the sport in the United States,” Mas explained, according to the Miami Herald. “I have a very, very strong held belief that we can create in North America and the United States if not the greatest league, one of the top two leagues in the world. I cannot over emphasize the magnitude of this announcement.”

That is probably as bold a claim as you can get from an MLS owner, as the sport has often been overshadowed by other major sports leagues in North America. But, without a doubt, the arrival of Lionel Messi to the United States in an absolutely seminal moment in the history of the sport in the country.

“Having the world’s greatest player here is something that is significant for our league, and for the football ecosystem in the United States,” Jorge Mas continued. “Lionel Messi is coming to this country to win cups and make a difference. I think it’s incumbent upon myself and my partners in the league, the other owners, to seize the moment.”

Mas confirmed to reporters that Messi and the club have agreed to terms and are finalizing paperwork and visas. The World Cup winner is planning to make his debut in a Miami uniform on July 21 at DRV PNK Stadium for the Leagues Cup opener against Mexican team Cruz Azul, per the Herald.

“Lionel Messi is going to be the greatest ambassador and recruiter in the history of Major League Soccer,” Mas explained.

“His mere presence in this league is going to be attracting talent of all ages and all levels. It is, I think, a tremendous and unprecedented opportunity that we have ahead of us. This is an amazing event for the league, for all the owners and every team in Major League Soccer. This will be a rising tide on all fronts.”

Without a doubt, the arrival of Lionel Messi in the United States is absolutely monumental for the sport, and there is probably no better way that the game could have been grown in North America.