Lionel Messi moved to MLS “for business rather than pleasure”, says Christian Fuchs, with the Inter Miami star backed to deliver vital rule changes.
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Argentine icon chased American dream in 2023Made an immediate impact on & off the fieldExpected to lure more big names to the StatesWHAT HAPPENED?
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner opted to go chasing the American dream when reaching the end of his contract at Paris Saint-Germain. The Barcelona icon wasted no time in making his mark in the United States, with a historic Leagues Cup triumph savoured in Florida a matter of weeks after his arrival.
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Messi was unable to inspire MLS Cup glory, with Fuchs and Charlotte FC helping to dash his dreams there, but the 2022 World Cup winner is expected to bring about important tweaks to the salary cap system in American soccer while also looking to add to his record-breaking trophy collection.
WHAT FUCHS SAID ABOUT MESSI
Premier League title winner Fuchs, who is a now a coach in Charlotte, has told of the past, present and future for Messi: “It wasn’t beating Messi’s team that made it so special. It was winning a game that we had to win to make the play-offs that gave the players and coaching staff a big sense of achievement. What the players did so well was not to fall into the trap of concentrating on one world-class player and forget about the rest of Inter Miami's team. It was a proud moment. Messi is still a phenomenon. He has come to the States for business rather than pleasure – and anyone who doubts that should look at how he scored 11 goals in just 14 games. He really wants to win. Inter Miami also had Busquets. Now David Beckham has signed Luis Suarez. This has brought a lot of focus to the MLS, but I think the league is now coming to a stage where it has to ease things like salary caps and restrictions on which players clubs can sign.
“If the MLS wants to keep growing, by attracting international stars who are at the peak of their careers rather than towards the end, then the decision-makers must loosen the rules. The next stage has to be to deliver a product that isn’t just attractive to Messi fans or Suarez fans – and that means changing the structure. That’s the only way to appeal to a world-wide audience. In my opinion, that might be the most important legacy that Messi brings to the MLS. There is a realisation that the Premier League is the best not because there are one or two stars, but because every team has really top players.”
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Messi is tied to a contract at Inter Miami through 2025, with there the option for a 12-month extension to be taken up beyond that point, and will continue to make an impact on and off the field for as long as he chooses to remain in the United States.