Many superstars names have tried to ignite widespread interest in soccer in America, but few have succeeded. That was until Lionel Messi and Messimania swept the US since the Argentine World Cup winner’s move to the MLS. Inter Miami owner David Beckham was widely touted to boost the popularity of the game in America when he signed for the LA Galaxy in his playing days, but Messi’s impact in the US has been unprecedented, something that a former MLS star seems to concur with calling “significant”.

Even Brazilian legend Pele couldn’t make the sport popular in the US after he signed for the New York Cosmos back in the mid-1970s. But Messi has turned the fortunes of soccer in America on its head. This has been further elucidated by former MLS player and current ESPN FC pundit Ale Moreno, who has compared the impact both Beckham and Messi have had on the MLS and the sport in the country.

ESPN FC pundit Ale Moreno compares David Beckham and Lionel Messi’s impact on the MLS

Speaking on ESPN FC’s podcast about what David Beckham did as compared to the surreal heights the game has reached in the USA following Messi’s move to the MLS. Ale Moreno said, “Even back to the day of David Beckham which I was in Major League Soccer at the time, and MLS really needed those additional eyes and that level of attention that we didn’t have at the time. We needed a bigger platform in order to be able to showcase our product, and David Beckham put us on that platform, and his presence in the league put us on that platform.”

“You think about the impact of David Beckham and then spin it forward, and what Lionel Messi does, is an even bigger platform. It’s an even bigger experience; it all becomes far more significant, far more important because we’re talking about potentially the best player in the history of this game.”

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Meanwhile, Messi was involved in an on-field controversy in Argentina’s recent 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Paraguay. Messi played for Argentina after coming on in the 2nd half in what seemed like him getting back to fitness after his short cameo in Inter Miami’s loss to FC Cincinnati in the MLS, which effectively ended the franchise’s playoff hopes.

Lionel Messi involved in spitting incident in Argentina’s World Cup qualifier against Paraguay

In Argentina’s recent game against Paraguay, Messi was brought on the pitch in place of Julian Alvarez in the second half. Shortly after coming on, Messi had an altercation with Paraguayan player Antonio Sanabria, as the cameras showed Sanabria spitting toward Messi. 

After the game, Messi responded, saying, “I was told that I had been spat on, but the truth is that I don’t even know who this guy is.” Sanabria has denied the actions in a statement that said, “I saw the images, and it looks like I’m spitting on him, but no. It’s also far away. I totally deny it.”

However, despite the spitting controversy, Messi helped Argentina secure a 1-0 win on the night. It kept their 100% win record in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers intact as Lionel Scaloni’s men look to get qualification for the next edition of the tournament in the bag.

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