April 15 – The Lionel Messi ‘MLS’ experience continues to shatter records as it makes its way around the United States, this time in the ‘Windy City’ of Chicago as 62,358 devotees attended the Inter Miami FC and Chicago Fire match-up last weekend.
While the game at the iconic Soldier Field Stadium has seen its share of football (NFL) drama over the years, Messi couldn’t find the net in the round ball version of the game as the two sides played out a 0-0 draw.
His coach and former teammate Javier Mascherano, while pleased with goalless draw, deflected attention away from the game to credit his fellow Argentine with being the major force impacting the growth of Major League Soccer.
“In the summer, Messi will have been here for two years, and I think he’s changing how the world sees MLS in one way or another,” he said.
“In the end, we’re talking about a player who’s capable of achieving all of that, of giving maximum visibility to a league like this.”
Inter Miami had previously played the Fire at Soldier Field, however Messi was absent on that occasion, leading Chicago to offer refunds and other incentives to disappointed fans.
The average attendance for Fire games prior to the visit of the Messi circus had been between 15,000 and 17,000 – making the turnout for Miami’s visit nearly four times their regular crowd.
“We saw it today, and it’s one of the many examples of everything he generates. The people came to see him, that’s the reality,” said Mascherano.
“Now, MLS has the responsibility to continue advancing. It’s made progress, but it’s necessary to continue supporting the fact that I’m here to continue developing soccer in this country.
“He’s a unique, unrepeatable player. Everywhere he’s been, he’s marked a before and after.”
The Fire aren’t the only club to have benefited from a visit of the GOAT, with both the New England Revolution and Sporting KC having broken attendance records in the past when Miami came to town.
While fans felt goal-deprived, Mascherano addressed his team’s scheduling crunch with the CONCACAF Champions Cup semi-final around the corner, followed by the FIFA Club World Cup, the Leagues Cup, and MLS regular season play.
“We have to remember that, in our case, we’ve been playing every three or four days for almost two months, and the wear and tear is very high,” Mascherano explained.
“Despite everything, the team continues to compete. There are days when the team performs better and other days when it doesn’t, but in the end, the team competes.”
Contact the writer of this story, Nick Webster, at moc.l1744843310labto1744843310ofdlr1744843310owedi1744843310sni@o1744843310fni1744843310