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News reaches The Fixture from MLS where the impact of Lionel Messi on the league is, unsurprisingly, being met with universal acclaim – for the most part.
The Argentine resisted the lure of the Saudi Pro League unlike most of his post-La Liga contemporaries, to opt for the United States as he seeks to wind down his career in the relative quietude of Florida. Already since joining Inter Miami, however, the legendary attacker is finding that the glare of the spotlight is almost as blinding as it was in France and Spain with average joes lining up to have their picture taken with Messi in supermarkets, crowds flocking to games and a cast of hangers-on during nights out something akin to the bar scenes in Goodfellas.
Nevertheless, the 36-year-old has been scoring prolifically in Leagues Cup games for his new team following his summer switch from Paris St-Germain. So freely in fact that he is already the all-time top scorer in the competition. Such form has helped guide Inter to the final of the competition which they reached overnight following a 4-1 win over Philadelphia Union.
Messi was on target again, bringing his tally to nine goals in six games, although Union's defending for the goal left a lot to be desired which may well explain why the Argentine has been averaging better than a goal a game. Jordi Alba, his former Barcelona team-mate was also on target while Sergio Busquets, another from that all-conquering Barca side, was also in Inter ranks as they swept Union aside.
“They [Messi, Busquets and Alba] pass on this confidence to the younger players and [Messi] has this commitment to the game,” the former Barcelona manager Tata Martino, now head coach of Inter, said. “He's working a lot, especially on recovery balls and this is infectious to his team-mates.”
Websites and social media have been awash with images of the former Barca trio, David Beckham, his wife Victoria and Messi's wife Antonela, all partying or dining out together. It seems everybody wants a piece of the little magician with sellouts accompanying each of the games he has played in thus far.
Fans desperate to watch Messi in action have been willing to pay exorbitant sums for Inter matches with prices starting at around $300 each on major ticket resale platforms.
However, not everyone is blown away by Messi's arrival. Prior to Inter's win over Philadelphia, the latter side's manager, Jim Curtin, pleaded with his own supporters to hold on to their tickets in order to prevent Inter fans from snapping them up.
“Please don’t sell your tickets, no matter how much money they’re offering for them — please,” Curtin said. “We know that we’re going to have a packed Subaru Park.
"It’s going to be the No.1 ticket in the city, for sure. I’m sure some celebrities will be out here in Philly, so I’m excited for it,” Curtin added.
Unsurprisingly, Messi's arrival in MLS has sparked a huge increase in MLS League Pass subscriptions, merchandise sales and social media audiences.
Jorge Mas, Inter Miami's managing director says the number of subscriptions has more than doubled since the club signed Messi which would put the figure at somewhere close to two million given that in late July, the New York Post reported that Season Pass subscriptions had reached 800,000.
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