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Former USMNT international Clint Demsey reckons Lionel Messi's arrival in the MLS has noticeably boosted the profile of the sport in the USA.
Messi, 36, is widely regarded as one of the best players to have graced the beautiful game. After nearly two decades in European football with Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain, he embarked on a new adventure by joining MLS side Inter Miami this summer on a free transfer.
Suffice to say, the 2022 FIFA World Cup winner hit the ground running. Messi scored in his first seven games - all in the inaugural Leagues Cup - as the Herons won the competition for their first-ever trophy in their short five-year history.
Although he failed to replicate the same exploits in the MLS owing to injury, the Argentine registered a goal and two assists in five games. That helped Tata Martino's side off the bottom of the Eastern Conference although they missed the playoffs despite a late surge.
Likening the arrival of Messi in the States with the country hosting the World Cup, Dempsey told ESPN (via GOAL):
"I would describe Messi coming to the States now in terms of what moves the needle. Like in terms of the whole country, not just people who are soccer fans but the whole country when they pay attention and watch, it normally has to take a Men's or Women's World Cup, and with Messi coming in, he moves the needle like it's a World Cup."
Overall, Messi has registered 11 goals and five assists in 13 games across competitions for the Herons.
New MLS arrival Lionel Messi currently on international duty with Argentina
Lionel Messi has been plagued by a muscular injury since the last international break with Argentina. That has severely limited his game time with Inter Miami, playing only two of their past seven games across competitions, playing less than 40 minutes in each outing.
Nevertheless, the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner has been selected in the Argentina squad for the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers against Paraguay and Peru.
Against the Paraguayans at home on Friday (October 13), Messi came off the bench in the second half, with his team leading through Nicolas Otamendi's third-minute opener.
The Argentine struck the woodwork twice as the reigning world champions prevailed 1-0 to surge atop the CONMEBOL qualifiers with three wins out of three. It's currently uncertain if Messi starts against Peru away on Tuesday (October 17).
