SOCCER: 'Messi effect' a dream for US Major League Soccer after World Cup, official says

NEW YORK — Major League Soccer (MLS) is looking to build on the momentum generated by the FIFA World Cup, with Lionel Messi set to return to Inter Miami following Argentina's appearance in Sunday's final.

Messi, who joined the David Beckham-owned club in 2023, has once again captured the world's attention with his performances for Argentina, including two late assists in the team's semifinal victory over England on Wednesday.

MLS Commissioner Don Garber said Messi's success on the international stage highlights the league's growing profile and provides a unique opportunity to attract more fans.

"None of us in the league understood what Messi was when he was playing at Barcelona, other than as fans," Garber said.

"The fact that he would have a right-footed cross at the last moment and be able to win a game in front of the world and be in the final, and then take off his Argentina jersey and put on an MLS jersey—I never dreamed that could happen."

Garber told Reuters last month that he sees the World Cup, hosted on home soil, as a springboard for a new era of growth for MLS.

The league's ambitions have also been boosted by the arrival of French forward Antoine Griezmann at Orlando City. The former Atletico Madrid star said the quality of play in MLS has improved significantly in recent years.

"The World Cup also helps so all kinds of American kids can enjoy soccer and want to start kicking a ball," Griezmann said. "Hopefully, we can put on a show in the stadiums to make kids want to play soccer."

MLS hopes the combination of homegrown talent and internationally recognized stars will continue to raise the league's profile and inspire the next generation of soccer players in the United States.

-Reporting by Amy Tennery in New York; Editing by Ed Osmond/Reuters