World Cup exposure will reinforce Inter Miami's global identity | OneFootball

Massive audiences expected to watch Miami's World Cup Herons

Most people have heard of the World Cup and know it's a Really Big Soccer Deal. They probably will know it's played by national teams every four years to determine a world champion.

They might not realize the competition's benefit to clubs around the world. According to FIFA, an average of 175 million viewers watched each of the 64 matches played at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar; that's almost FIVE TIMES as many as the 2025-26 NFL playoffs' average (35.6 million). Almost 1.5 billion people watched Argentina beat France in penalty kicks to win its third World Cup -- almost TWELVE TIMES as many as Super Bowl LX (the Seattle Seahawks beat the New England Patriots 29-13 with 125.6 million watching).

So, when a broadcaster mentions a World Cup players' club team, a LOT of people hear it.

Three Inter Miami players -- Argentina's Leo Messi and Rodrigo De Paul and Canada's Dayne St. Clair -- will represent their club as well as their country in this summer's World Cup, buttressing the Herons' reputation as a team striving for international excellence and potentially introducing Los Garzas to a vast new audience.

Not that any of the three are thinking about their club at the moment; playing in the World Cup is a young soccer player's greatest dream.

Inter Miami designated players Rodrigo De Paul and Leo Messi developed a close friendship while playing for Argentina's national team. The midfielders will help La Albiceleste try to defend its World Cup title beginning June 16 in Kansas City. | Michael Miller/ISI Photos/GettyImages

Lionel Messi, 38, will be living that dream for an unprecedented sixth World Cup (Messi's rival, Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo, and Mexican goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa also have been selected to play in their sixth edition of the competition). La Pulga -- "the Flea" -- will try to add to an already impressive World Cup resume: most matches played (26), most minutes played (2,314), most goal contributions (21, tied with Brazil's Pelé), most Player of the Match Awards (11), and most Golden Ball Awards as the tournament's best player (2). He won after a 1-0 loss to Germany in the 2014 final and Argentina's 4-3 shootout win against France in the 2022 championship after the juggernauts played to a 3-3 tie.

Messi has 13 World Cup goals, three fewer than all-time leader Miroslav Klose of Germany (16). Ronaldo (from Brazil, not Portugal) had 15, followed by West Germany's Gerd Müller (14); France's Just Fontaine is tied with Messi at 13. Kylian Mbappé of France has the second-most goals among active players with 12.

Pelé is the all-time World Cup assists leader with 10; Messi and countryman Diego Maradona are tied second with 8.

The Inter Miami captain left the Herons' last match (a 6-4 win against Philadelphia on May 24) with pain in his hamstring but is expected to be ready to play for La Albiceleste when they play their first group-stage match against Algeria June 16 in Kansas City. Argentina's coach, Lionel Scaloni, has said he will make decisions about Messi's playing time based on the legendary competitor's input; I expect Messi once again be a major contributor to his country's campaign.

Rodrigo De Paul, 32, will be playing in his second World Cup. The box-to-box midfielder -- dubbed El Motorcito ("the Motor") for his relentless energy and work ethic -- played in all seven of Argentina's World Cup matches four years ago, compiling 602 minutes. De Paul earned a reputation as "Messi's bodyguard" during the 2021 Copa América, and the players' close relationship on and off the pitch helped De Paul decide last summer to leave Atlético Madrid to join his friend at Inter Miami.

Dayne St. Clair is competing for Canada's starting goalkeeper position for this summer's World Cup. | Michael Chisholm/GettyImages

Dayne St. Clair, 29, made the roster for his second World Cup, although he didn't appear for Canada in Qatar. He earned Major League Soccer's 2025 Goalkeeper of the Year Award while playing for Minnesota United and has started all but one match for the Herons after taking a pay cut to join the MLS champions. Despite an inconsistent performance so far for Miami, St. Clair is competing with Orlando City's Maxime Crépeau to be Canada's starting keeper. Crépeau played the first half and St. Clair the second in Les Rouges' 2-0 win against Uzbekistan Monday; Crépeau made a pair of saves but St. Clair wasn't tested as Canada controlled the second half.

This World Cup will be the first with 48 teams, up from 32. The top two finishers in each of 12 four-team groups and the eight best third-place sides will advance to the round of 32. With twice as many spots available, La Albiceleste and Les Rouges are expected to advance to the knockout rounds where, in single-elimination play, anything is possible.

Argentina will tune up for the Cup with friendlies against Honduras on Saturday at Kyle Field, Texas A&M University's home stadium, and Iceland on Tuesday at Auburn's Jordan-Hare Stadium.