Everybody’s still talking about Lionel Messi’s dramatic goal in his inaugural for Inter Miami over the weekend, and with reason. Those not normally inclined to take in the sport were similarly engulfed by the spectacle. Major League Soccer’s biggest signing in its 29-year existence, with all due respect to David Beckham, managed to meet expectations, and more, in his first outing since agreeing to a deal that would bring him Stateside. The turnaround from acquisition to debut was less than a week, and he didn’t trek to the field until the 54th minute, but it was evident from the get-go that he deserves every cent of his pay, estimated to be at around $150 million over two and a half years.
Not that Messi was perfect in front of a sellout crowd of some 21,000 that absorbed double-digit-fold increases in ticket prices just to get a glimpse of the crossover icon. Naturally, other stars — among them LeBron James, Serena Williams, and, yes, Beckham — were likewise in attendance at the DRV PNK Stadium, confident that he would deliver on his promise. And while he obviously still did not have — or, perhaps, at 36, no longer had — the legs to react to quick transitions from offense to defense, he remained transcendent on occasion. No moment was, of course, bigger than the free kick granted him in extra time, and he thrived in it; he scored the winning goal off an aching shot from the edge of the Cruz Azul box that found the upper left corner of the net, beyond the outstretched arms of otherwise-excellent Andres Gudiño.
Considering Messi’s stature and the hype that accompanied his decision to move to MLS despite far more lucrative offers to bring his legendary boots to Saudi Arabia or Barcelona, Sunday’s ending could not have been better had it been scripted. Having already ticked off all the items on his bucket list, he figured on taking his talents to South Beach and, in the process, find a healthy compromise between continuing to make an impact and yet staying close to his family. He was a hit with Paris Saint Germain, which wound up earning a whopping $700 million in the two years he led its roster, but he admitted that satisfaction eluded him.
Messi will never be rid of the spotlight, to be sure, but the scrutiny accompanying his every move is, no doubt, much less in the United States. Heck, he was even able to do groceries at a local Publix with his wife and children with minimal interruptions, an impossibility in football-crazed Europe. And for all the talk about his bank account being depressed, Inter Miami isn’t paying him peanuts along with an equity stake. There is also the bounty he stands to receive from longtime partner Adidas and broadcast rights owner Apple.
In other words, Messi is exactly where he wants to be. How much he will be able to help Inter Miami advance through the season remains to be seen; he’s only one of 11 on grass, and it may be too far down at the bottom of standings to make the playoffs. Nonetheless, he’s happy to be THE Big Fish in a small(er) pond, and, as far as he’s concerned, all is right in the world.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and human resources management, corporate communications, and business development.
