St. Louis City SC defender Tim Parker has said Inter Miami signing Lionel Messi has shattered MLS’ ‘retirement league’ title.
The American top-flight has long been viewed in the soccer world as a division where only aging superstars would play in, a stereotype that was true some years ago.
Yet recent years has seen a major shift from MLS clubs to sign younger and more exciting players, though Messi joining Inter Miami last year has changed everything about the division.
Parker said to Fox Sports: “I think Messi coming over is obviously the biggest one, the biggest name. He’s still playing for Argentina. At first, people used to think when old guys would come over here, it was a retirement league, this and that.
“But he’s still playing for Argentina, he’s still scoring goals on the international stage. Yes, he’s still scoring goals in MLS, but it’s not like he’s not doing it against the best in the world on other stages as well.
“So I think we have to really rationalize that thought process of guys coming over here as a ‘retirement league’ because that’s just not the way it is anymore.”
Lionel Messi has transformed MLS for the better at Inter Miami
Messi has only been in MLS for six months, yet the impact the former FC Barcelona and PSG attacker has already made in the division has been immense.
The reputation and profile of the division has increased tenfold, with big-name players such as Luis Suarez now also making the decision to move to America at this stage in their career.
With rules to roster building expected to be made this year, there’s a real chance that MLS can become that superstar league where every team has a massive player on their books to bring in new fans and eyeballs.
And none of it would be possible without Messi joining Inter Miami, with the Argentine attacker transforming soccer in America for the better in just a short amount of time.