25 January 2024 , 14:41
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Lionel Messi 's transfer to Inter Miami has seen the club's value surge to the third-highest mark in Major League Soccer.
Messi, 36, is six months into his time in Miami, arriving in the middle of last summer after leaving Paris Saint-Germain as a free agent. Just over a month later, the World Cup winner added the Leagues Cup to his trophy cabinet, the first piece of silverware in the team's short history.
Inter Miami also reached the US Open Cup final a month later, losing to the Houston Dynamo. But success did not carry over to the regular season, as they missed out on the playoffs with Messi struggling for fitness and ultimately succumbing to injury.
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Despite finishing third-bottom in the overall table, only above the Colorado Rapids and Toronto FC, they fare far better in off-the-pitch rankings. Contrastingly, Atlanta United and Los Angeles FC, MLS Cup winners over the last six seasons, have higher valuations as a franchise, per Sportico.
LAFC remain the gold standard after again reaching MLS Cup, despite failing to defend their title against the Columbus Crew last month. Their $1.15billion (£903m) valuation keeps them clear of Atlanta for another year, who sit second on $1.05billion (£825m).
The gap at the top has grown year-on-year, with LAFC seeing a 28% positive change compared to Atlanta's 23%. But when it comes to growth, no one comes close to Inter Miami.
The Messi effect is clear on Inter Miami's valuationIn the last 12 months, their valuation is up 74%, catapulting them into the league's elite. They are one of only four franchises to hit the $1 billion mark ($1.02 billion) - Los Angeles Galaxy being the other.
A year ago, the team David Beckham co-owns was down in 10th behind Austin FC, DC United, New York City FC, Portland Timbers, Seattle Sounders and Toronto. They have now jumped ahead of all those rivals while pushing the LA Galaxy down to fourth.
After only adding to their team as of late with the arrival of Luis Suarez late last year, their surging value only seems set to continue rising. The globetrotting preseason tour the club is on is another way they hope to continue their off-the-pitch growth.
Starting last weekend in El Salvador with a friendly against the national team, which finished in a 0-0 draw, they then travelled back to the US to face FC Dallas in Texas, losing 1-0. The next stop is Saudi Arabia, with Riyadh hosting Inter Miami matches against Al-Hilal and Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr.
February sees them travel again for a friendly scheduled against a Hong Kong XI in the city. Staying in East Asia, they play Vissel Kobe, where several of Messi's former Barcelona teammates have previously played, at the Japan National Stadium.
They return home to welcome Messi's boyhood club, Newell's Old Boys. That friendly takes place a week before MLS returns for Inter Miami when they will welcome Real Salt Lake to the DRV PNK Stadium.