Laredo Heat, fans excited as Messi signs with MLS squad Inter Miami
One of soccer’s biggest names in the sport’s history is officially coming next season to the United States to play for a Major League Soccer team, and local fans are excited.
Lionel Messi officially signed with Inter Miami on Tuesday. While his contract details are not yet official, his deal reportedly includes profit sharing with two of MLS’ biggest commercial partners in Apple and Adidas.
Messi helped guide Argentina this year to the World Cup, one of his slew of career accolades over a career throughout Europe. His expected arrival has delighted U.S. fans as well as local ones, as everyone from local soccer coaches to players and fans are excited about the news.
“As big as the news about David Beckham signing with the LA Galaxy back in 2007 was, Messi coming to the MLS and Inter Miami is much more exciting,” Laredo Heat General Manager J. J. Vela said. “In my opinion, Messi is not only one of the best players to ever lace them up but maybe one of the top three to ever play the game — and more importantly, he still has the skill level to bring excitement to the league.
One of the coaches of the club also voiced their excitement about the news and stated that Messi is doing the correct decision to follow in the footsteps of someone like Beckham who solidified his career in the country by coming to play and also becoming an owner of a team in the United States as well.
“Messi … is a global star, and just to have a player of his caliber coming to the United States and make that commitment to a project that for the most part is not on his level says a lot for what he sees and the visions for U.S. soccer,” Laredo Heat Assistant Coach Gary Tucker said. “Messi does want to become that true global icon, like David Beckham was. David Beckham recognized that coming to the United States would completely put him on the map.”
Other local coaches of children’s soccer teams and fans of the Argentine player have expressed their excitement about the news as well.
“I think Messi’s arrival in MLS is perhaps the most important transfer in the league’s existence,” said Chris Gallardo, a local teacher and soccer coach. “It will attract a whole new generation to watch/play soccer that maybe will produce future players at the international level.”
Roberto Contreras, who considers himself one of Messi’s biggest fans, said that it makes him sad he is retiring from European football but also excited that he might be able to see Messi playing in the United States with his new team.
“If you ever wanted to see Messi, you would have to go to Spain or even France to see him play — whenever Argentina came, they would always bring their ‘B’ squad, and for the important Copa games you would have to buy your tickets way in advance,” Contreras said. “Now, even though I know that the tickets are very expensive, you can actually — maybe be in Austin, Houston or even Dallas, who have MLS teams — see him at a store or restaurant getting something for dinner or just walking with his family. He being here adds a lot of emotion to the greatness of the man.”
The American Outlaws of Laredo, a group that supports the United States National Teams while gathering together to watch their games, said they are excited about the news, stating that Messi “will only help draw attention to the sport in the U.S., as even non-soccer watchers know who Messi is.”
The Heat’s GM agrees on that point as Vela says Messi is the biggest signing ever for the MLS, and he does not believe he is coming to the U.S. to relax and slip into retirement, as he still will hope to compete for more championships.
“Messi is the biggest signing to date for Major League Soccer,” Vela said. “Contrary to the belief that European players come to MLS to (retire), Messi still has the potential to possibly represent Argentina in the next World Cup that will be played in North America, so he is nowhere close to calling it quits any time soon.”
Tucker said the impact Messi has still will not be fully known, but he feels it will cause more international players to want to come to the country, domestic players to choose to stay in the U.S. and even people from around the world tuning in more to the MLS.
“The impact of Messi will not be known in the next couple of years, and it will not be known right away. I think this is something that we will see truly fully develop in the next 10 years,” the Heat’s assistant coach said. “You will see more players decide to stay in the United States and play because Messi has shown that U.S. soccer and the MLS is a place not to retire but a place to have a long career, and I think that other players will follow in his footsteps because Messi will be able to speak about the level of the game.”
