Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano credited Lionel Messi for impacting the growth of Major League Soccer since signing with the club in 2023, but quickly added that more progress can be made.

"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," Mascherano said after a 0-0 draw with Chicago Fire. "There's no doubt about that. 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."

Messi's influence on the league could be seen on Sunday as he led the Herons into Soldier Field and helped make history at the iconic venue with an all-time attendance record for the Fire with 62,358 fans in attendance.

Though Inter Miami had previously played at Soldier Field against the Fire, Sunday marked Messi's first time playing in a match there.

"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.

It's not the first time Inter Miami helped another club break their attendance record. The New England Revolution and Sporting KC both had record-breaking numbers in 2024 in games against Messi. The game against the revolution was played at Gillette Stadium, home of the New England Patriots, while the match with SKC was held at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.

Other MLS clubs have also chosen to move their games against Inter Miami to larger venues to satisfy the demand for tickets, with the Columbus Crew, for example, moving their upcoming match against Inter Miami to Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland, Ohio.

Still, the Miami manager emphasized the league is responsible for maximizing the efforts of Messi on and off the field.

"Now, MLS has the responsibility to continue advancing," Mascherano said. "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 0-0 result dropped Inter Miami to third place on the Eastern Conference, but the team remains just one point away from leaders Charlotte FC and having played one game less. The Herons struggled to generate chances against the Fire, managing just 10 shots and three on goal in comparison to the opponent's 16 overall shots and seven on goal.

Mascherano mentioned his team's busy schedule as a potential reason for the lack of goals, emphasizing the excess of games in the last two months. In addition to MLS play, Miami is in the semifinals of the Concacaf Champions Cup.

"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 said. "And 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."

Mascherano went on to applaud his team for maintaining a clean sheet and getting the hard-fought draw.

The team will now prepare to face the Columbus Crew on Saturday night, and begins a two-legged semifinal with the Vancouver Whitecaps in the Champions Cup on April 24.

Source:
courtesy of ESPN

by Lizzy Becherano

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