According to Spanish sports outlet Relevo, Messi’s arrival has completely transformed the MLS culture. The profound impact brought by the Argentine football legend in the year since his transfer has become a unique phenomenon, vastly different from his experience in Europe.
Messi has completely changed America, making the sport of soccer, which was not popular in the United States, the center of attention. Every Miami Inter match he plays in is sold out, and the sales of Messi’s No. 10 jersey are astounding, proving just how successful his signing has been. From the opponent’s perspective, according to an active MLS player, Messi’s arrival has even turned the players on the field into the superstar’s “fanboys,” making his games easier.
The player told Relevo: “North American players have so much respect for Messi that in many situations they won’t go all out to fight him for the ball.” An MLS staff member also said: “At the league level, North American players are more respectful when facing South American stars, while South American opponents are more aggressive and tend to go all out in confrontations. I think this has to do with the different field cultures. North American players have more idealization when confronting Messi, while South American players value confrontation more.”
Data also supports the statements of the players and staff. According to statistics, Messi only played 12 games for 1035 minutes in the MLS last season due to injuries. During the games, Messi suffered 20 fouls, averaging one foul every 52 minutes. In comparison, the most fouled player in the MLS was Galaxy player Puig, who averaged one foul every 31 minutes. In his last La Liga season, 2020/21, Messi suffered 99 fouls in 3023 minutes, averaging one foul every 31 minutes.
It is clear that the competitive level of North American games is still a long way from European leagues, which has effectively protected Messi, allowing the 37-year-old to still perform at the level of a top player. Carlos Badias, assistant coach of the Chicago Fire, said: “Messi is the best player in the league and he shows his superior level in every game. It is true that his current opponents are below the average level he has faced in his career, but in such a competitive league, he still stands out from the crowd.”
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