Lionel Messi could get the ‘Michael Jordan treatment’ in MLS

Later this month, Lionel Messi is expected to make his debut for Inter Miami.

Messi’s imminent arrival in MLS is the result of a years-long effort from the Miami team, but is also the culmination of a league-wide effort to attract the biggest names in world football.

MLS has pulled out all the stops to ensure that Messi spends the remaining part of his glittering career in the the United States, offering an unparalleled financial package that includes a share of the league’s commercial revenue.

But now they have managed to lure Messi, who is often touted as the finest player of all time, to the league, attention will turn to ensuring that they get the most out of the Argentine’s final few years.

A report in The Athletic investigates how the US’s governing body for referees, Professional Referees Organization (PRO), may react to the arrival of a genuine superstar in MLS. Messi may not be the first big name to arrive from Europe, but he is the first all-time great to feature in the league.

Robert Sibiga, the PRO referee of the year 2021, said that the fanfare surrounding Messi’s arrival may well affect how referees call games involving the Argentine.

“This is not the level of David Beckham, or Zlatan,” Sibiga explains. “This is a different level.”

“I really hope that they’re going to be able to adjust the expectations. As referees, the last thing you want to be is to be seen screwing up the game or allowing players who have way less talent and experience to do something to a player like Lionel Messi.”

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Messi’s transfer was announced more than a month ago but he is yet to join up with his new teammates in Miami. An official date for his debut has not been confirmed, but he is expected to feature in the Leagues Cup game against Cruz Azul on 21 July.

He will then make his MLS debut the following month once the league resumes. Such is the anticipation for Messi’s arrival, the price of Inter Miami tickets has soared on resale sites and the eyes of the footballing world will be on MLS; perhaps for the very first time.

With this in mind, Sibiga wants to see the very best of MLS refereeing to be in charge of the games involving Messi.

“PRO will have to be very particular about who they’re going to bring,”Sibiga said. “It has to be veterans. It has to be experienced referees.”

“If we don’t, then we’re going to miss the mark and we’re going to do a disservice to the game.”

Messi could get the ‘Michael Jordan treatment’ in MLS

Speaking to The Athletic, one MLS coach suggestion that Messi should be given extra protection from referees in a league that is known for being physically tough.

“He should get the [Michael] Jordan treatment,” he claimed. “[Messi] should get every single call.”

It may seem like an unnecessary privilege to grant to Messi, but concerns about player safety are not unfounded. When David Beckham arrived in the league 16 years ago he was frequently on the receiving end of cynical tackles from lesser-known players eager to get one over on the famous new arrival.

The phrase ‘Jordan treatment’ relates to the additional protections that were allegedly offered to NBA legend Michael Jordan. The Chicago Bull’s superstar was targeted with a tactic of intense physical defence by the Detroit Pistons, known as the ‘Jordan Rules’.

Numerous rival coaches claimed publicly that Jordan was receiving additional protection because the league wanted to avoid an injury to its prized marketing asset. Given Messi’s age, comparatively slight stature and superstar reputation, failure to offer protection could see him pick up numerous injuries in MLS.