The Messi Effect
How the Global Legend Changed the Future of American Soccer
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- $15.99
Publisher Description
In The Messi Effect, Paul Tenorio, national soccer writer for The Athletic, draws on coveted insider access to bring readers behind the ropes and into the inner sanctum and chronicle the last act of Lionel Messi.
In The Messi Effect, Paul Tenorio, national soccer writer for The Athletic, who has spent more than a decade breaking news and providing critical insight into the power and politics of the sport, draws on his numerous high-ranking sources inside Inter Miami, American soccer, and overseas to bring readers behind the scenes and chronicle the last act of Lionel Messi.
The Messi Effect takes you inside the locker room as Messi’s arrival turned a last-place team into a global phenomenon, and into the Major League Soccer boardroom as league owners debated how to leverage Messi’s arrival to shape the future of the league and sport in America. From his cinematic debut goal to his first trophy with Miami and across two more transformative seasons, Messi’s impact was immediate and enormous. His pink No. 10 shirt became the world’s best-selling jersey, MLS stadiums sold out in city after city, and Inter Miami’s valuation soared past $1 billion.
This is a book about one man's legacy in a rapidly growing and changing game. It's a story about the business of sport and how a player can be both athlete and economic engine. It’s an inside look at how the business of MLS evolved historically and in real time after the legend’s arrival. And it's the story of how a GOAT rides off into the sunset, the choices he makes, and the aftereffects of his greatness for future generations
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Tenorio, a senior writer for the Athletic, debuts with a detailed overview of Argentine soccer player Lionel Messi's arrival in Major League Soccer. Inter Miami FC co-owners Jorge Mas and David Beckham oversaw Messi's move to Miami in the summer of 2023. In addition to leading Inter Miami to its first-ever MLS Cup victory in 2025, Messi brought commercial success to the team and MLS as a whole, increasing viewership, sponsorship revenue, and retail sales. Tenorio dives into the business side of the sport, explaining how Mas hoped to use Messi's move to disrupt the league, which he felt was hampered by restrictive rules, including spending regulations that forced teams to funnel funds to a few star players, leading to a lower-quality product on the field. The league considered altering the rules but chose not to make significant changes until after the 2026 World Cup. "The league remained frustratingly constrained by its own bureaucracy," Tenorio writes, as Inter Miami capitalized on Messi's arrival to create a winning team and successful brand. Tenorio expertly weaves business reportage with a rousing narrative of Messi's role in validating the MLS as a global competitor. This will entertain soccer fans.
