Messi has just received an award from Spanish newspaper Marca, recognizing him as the best player of all time. This is a well-deserved title for Messi as he has also helped MLS and Inter Miami advance in all areas.
No one can surpass Messi
Marca ‘s CEO Juan Ignacio Gallardo praised Messi: “No one will surpass him.” The newspaper also voted for the six greatest players of all time, and ranked Messi at number 1. Next are Cristiano Ronaldo, Pele, Di Stefano, Maradona and Johan Cruyff.
“In the “Big 6″ (6 great players), all have incredible achievements. Messi has won more titles than anyone, that’s why he has the honor of being recognized as the number 1 of the number 1s,” Marca explained.
Messi has won a total of 102 titles in his career: 46 with his team and 56 as an individual. Now, with the award from Marca , this number has increased to 103 titles, more than anyone in the history of world football.
Messi also admitted: “I have achieved everything. I cannot expect anything else. The thing now is to just enjoy football. I try not to rush. I focus on enjoying every day. When the time comes, we will see. I do not like to rush. Hopefully I can continue to perform at this level because that makes me happy.”
Also according to Messi: “For me, the Argentina national team and FC Barcelona are my home. Today, I am also in a place where I feel very happy (Inter Miami Club). This is a new chapter in my life. I did not come to America to retire – I came to help build something special with this club. We have been fortunate to win many more titles and we still crave more.”
MLS has risen to 9th place globally, Inter Miami increased revenue 4 times
Messi’s presence over the past year has helped MLS – the American professional soccer league, to make great strides. The tournament, which was ranked 13th at the beginning of 2024, has now entered the global top 10, ranked 9th, according to statistics from Opta .
Opta, which rates all professional clubs on a scale of 1 to 100, shows an upward trend for MLS, putting it ahead of previous top leagues such as the Eredivisie (Netherlands), Liga MX (Mexico), Argentine Primera (Argentina) and Super Lig (Turkey).
In the latest rankings, MLS ranked 9th after the Belgian Premier League and above the English Premier League (Championship). The English Premier League still ranked 1st, followed by Serie A (Italy), Bundesliga (Germany), La Liga (Spain), Ligue 1 (France). Brazil’s Brasileirao ranked 6th and Portugal’s Primeira Liga ranked 7th.
MLS is expected to be highly competitive, with a record attendance of more than 11 million in the 2024 season. The value of television rights has also skyrocketed, from $8 million previously to $300 million now.
Meanwhile, Inter Miami’s commercial director, Xavier Asensi, announced: “Messi is the player who brings in the most money commercially in the world. Top players like Suarez, Ronaldo, Busquets, Luka Modric, Sergio Ramos can help you increase a little bit, but with Messi it’s a different dimension on a commercial level.
He’s an incredible player. To give you an idea, by 2024, Inter Miami’s revenue had quadrupled. There was a huge change before and after Messi came to Inter Miami and the whole MLS.”
Specifically, Mr. Xavier Asensi added: “Back in 2022, Inter Miami generated $56 million in revenue, but by the end of 2024, the club is expected to earn up to $224 million (about 5.6 trillion VND). That just goes to show what Messi means and brings to any club he has ever played for.”
