Messi, Lewandowski and Son headline MLS push to ride US World Cup wave | OneFootball

MLS restarts in the US this week, aiming to ride World Cup momentum, with Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi front and centre.

According to L'Équipe, the competition paused on 26 May and returns before Sunday’s final, backed by a nationwide ad on US television, including Fox, costing more than $10 million (€8.7 million). The spot features Messi and Heung-min Son, team-mate of Hugo Lloris at Los Angeles FC.

MLS communications chief Dan Courtemanche notes Messi is in the league and says 45 MLS players featured at this World Cup with significant minutes. He calls the 39-year-old’s continued brilliance remarkable, adding that fans see it weekly in Major League Soccer.

He credits Messi’s 2023 arrival at David Beckham’s Inter Miami with propelling the league to a new level. While praising Beckham’s impact in 2007, he says Messi’s aura, including more than 500 million Instagram followers, has amplified MLS visibility.

Yet, at 30, the league still fights a second-tier perception. Strict salary rules hinder peak-age signings, and Apple TV audiences have remained modest since 2023, averaging 120,000 per match last season.

Courtemanche accepts differing opinions but argues the facts show MLS includes some of the world’s best players. He hopes the World Cup will persuade new and existing fans to watch on TV and, above all, back their local clubs.

The response starts tonight with four matches, including Chicago Fire after landing Poland striker Robert Lewandowski. The regular season is scheduled to end on 7 November.

Source: L'Équipe