The Messi Effect: How Lionel Messi's Miami Move is Reshaping US Soccer

Paul Tenorio's new book, The Messi Effect, examines the profound impact Lionel Messi's move to Inter Miami has had on the landscape of US soccer and Major League Soccer.

When Messi announced in June 2023 that he would be leaving Europe to join David Beckham's project at Inter Miami, the soccer world was immediately captivated. The interest was palpable, with Messi's pink shirt becoming the top-selling global kit and Apple TV Plus adding 300,000 MLS Season Pass subscriptions. Matches were even moved to larger venues.

As debate grew over the wider implications of this move, Paul Tenorio produced one of the first definitive studies of Messi's three years in MLS, published by St. Martin's Press in June. In his book, he delves into the growth of American soccer, the increasing influence of the global football economy in North America, and the significant effect Messi's arrival had on league stakeholders.

The Messi Effect is not a conventional biography, with over 100 Messi books already in circulation. Instead, it captures a pivotal moment in US soccer history and highlights how Messi's presence helped bring the sport to a new era.

Tenorio's thesis suggests that Messi's arrival is forcing MLS to make choices that some owners would rather avoid. He also puts the move into context with Beckham's 2007 switch to the Los Angeles Galaxy, when the designated player rule defined the next decade, and writes that Messi's arrival promised comparable change.

A key aspect of the move is that Beckham, along with Jorge and Jose Mas, agreed to grant Messi a stake in Inter Miami as part of the deal that brought him to the club.

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