Thiago Almada has highlighted how the quality of MLS has improved overall since Inter Miami’s signing of Lionel Messi.
The Herons stunned the footballing world this summer by confirming the arrival of the Argentine international, with Messi transforming Inter Miami into a soccer powerhouse virtually overnight.
The former FC Barcelona and PSG superstar has put the American top-flight back in the spotlight and has increased the profile of MLS dramatically, with 2024 set to be huge for Inter Miami and Messi.
And speaking to MLS, Atlanta United star and fellow Argentine international Almada has said that Messi’s arrival in Florida has changed everything for the better for soccer in the USA.
Almdada said when asked if MLS has changed since Messi: “It changed a lot with Messi. The football improved a lot. You can see that a lot more. It’s back and forth, there are a lot of goals.
“Sometimes it happened to us that we started winning and didn’t build on that, and we ended up losing. When Leo came, he knew more about MLS than I did. I spoke when we faced each other. He arrived and they started winning all the games.”
Lionel Messi has changed MLS for the better at Inter Miami
It’s perhaps no real surprise that MLS has enjoyed a massive boost in quality on the pitch since Messi’s arrival, with players in the division now looking to impress in front of a new audience.
And heading into 2024, the sky truly is the limit for MLS, with Messi’s profile likely going to lead to a record-breaking year for the division in almost every department.
Rival franchises will be looking to bring in their own superstar from Europe, with the MLS rumor-mill already in overdrive heading into the January window.
And Messi has been the cause for such a rush, with MLS wise to capitalize on their newfound success in 2024 that could one day leave a lasting legacy.