Lionel Messi’s match-winning displays for Argentina can only benefit MLS, according to former defender Greg Garza.
Messi has been the star man for Argentina as they look to defend their title from four years ago and Garza says that any young fans watching the global superstar and then discovering he plays his club football in America for Inter Miami can only help the growth of MLS.
Messi is one of 45 active MLS players who were selected to play at this World Cup and that number is impressive in itself as the league celebrates its 30th year.
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Messi has played a pivotal role in helping Argentina reach the last 16 of the World Cup, scoring seven goals so far - and he is now also the World Cup’s all time leading goalscorer with 20 goals.
Speaking exclusively to FourFourTwo, Garza said: “Lionel Messi representing MLS and also playing for the Argentinian national team in the World Cup is unbelievable.
“I think if you are a young boy you could have never fathomed the idea of watching YouTube for the very first time and thinking that that guy would ever be in this league and representing this crest and this badge within a World Cup.
“Way down to the 45th player is still an incredible opportunity for these guys to be in that position to represent their club, country, and community, and I think that's the coolest part as well from the fan base is to see them.
“To see these players that you watch week in, week out, come to a realization that you're going to be watching them on the big screen, representing their country and you're going to come to a realization that they are playing on the biggest stage.”
The MLS was born in 1996 - two years after the USA 94 World Cup - so with another tournament being co-hosted in North America, what can the benefits to MLS be from this tournament?
Garza, who played for Atlanta United and Cincinnati, added: “The continuation of growth within this country of what this sport can bring. I think the biggest goal for all of us is just the eyeballs that are on the platform of what soccer is in this country today, and I think the World Cup will continue to create that kind of fever and by creating more eyeballs to watch this league once the World Cup ends.
“And, we are already there. If we go through statistics and we go through the numbers, we are one of the most watched leagues in the world at the moment, which is pretty awesome.
“MLS is one of the most diverse leagues in the whole entire world. We have over 80 countries that represent this league in itself.
“So just the opportunities that I think, that this league has created for so many people to watch from around the world, has, has really created substantial growth over the past three decades. So it's just the continuity of the growth.
You look at it in terms of the players that are playing in MLS, the marketing that has done so well in growing this league, the promises that were made by Don Garber way back when in terms of getting another World Cup in this country, and by that time, where the league would be.
“I'm sure a lot of people probably would have said: ‘No, you're crazy. It's not going to happen,’ but now you can just look at it and just say ‘we told you so’.
