Why was soccer the legend here?
Lionel Messi leads Inter Miami to Leagues Cup final
Lionel Messi and Inter Miami soared past the Philadelphia Union to earn themselves a spot in the Leagues Cup final on Saturday, August 19th vs Nashville SC.
SportsPulse, USA TODAY
Messi Mania officially hit Naples on Saturday, and it took a small park in Collier County by storm.
Lionel Messi, widely considered as the greatest soccer player of all time, was spotted Saturday morning at North Collier Regional Park.
The Inter Miami forward was in attendance with his wife, Antonela Roccuzzo, watching their oldest son, Thiago, play in a tournament.
Here are three things to know about Messi:
Messi signed with Inter Miami in July
The soccer star inked a deal with Inter after a lengthy stint with FC Barcelona and a shorter one with Paris Saint-Germain, relocating to South Florida to join David Beckham’s club.
He and Roccuzzo have owned property in South Florida in the past, but recently bought a waterfront mansion in Fort Lauderdale for $10.75 million.
Messi Mania bolstered MLS in virtually everything
Messi’s move to the United States brought sellouts to countless Major League Soccer stadiums across the country and jersey sales skyrocketed. Finding a pink jersey with Messi’s name and number on the back of it was a tough get early on when Messi announced he was signing with the club on June 7.
There’s a new and engaged audience on the league, as it hopes to continue the momentum and create a competitive balance that has been dominated by soccer leagues all across Europe.
Lionel Messi in contention for Ballon d’Or
It’s no surprise, but the greatest soccer player of all time will be going for his eighth Ballon d’Or on Oct. 30 in Paris, which is handed out to the best soccer player in the world for the previous year.
Messi is in contention with a handful of soccer greats, including PSG’s Kylian Mbappé, along with three Manchester City standouts in Erling Haaland, Kevin De Bruyne, and Rodri.
Follow Southwest Florida Sports Reporter Alex Martin on X: @NP_AlexMartin. For the best sports coverage in Southwest Florida, follow @newspresssports and @ndnprepzone on Instagram.
