With the presence of Lionel Messi, there has been a revolutionary advancement in Inter Miami’s game, and football in the United States has undergone a fundamental change. The off-field circumstances have also escalated. The Messi effect has been felt all across the nation, expanding the football market in the United States.
However, Netherlands legend Ruud Gullit believes that Messi might not be adequate enough to inspire the next generation in the United States. He suggests that the country needs to create its own star players.
Gullit, who led the Netherlands to their biggest success in football history, winning the 1988 Euros, was the captain of that team. He scored in the final against the Soviet Union, which remains the only major trophy for the Dutch team.
At 61 years old, Gullit is currently working as a football expert. He recently gave an exclusive interview to an online betting website called ‘Gambling Zone.’
In the interview, he said, “I believe that the United States needs its own hero. That’s the truth. They have recently acquired Pulisic. However, his (Pulisic’s) significance is not consistent. To improve further, they need to produce local players. Messi’s arrival is an attraction because he’s Messi. Especially there (in Miami), where there are many Spanish speakers, there is even more interest. But for the United States, the most important thing is to create local stars, who have actually excelled in Europe.”
According to Gullit, although recruiting big players can be significant for Major League Soccer (MLS) in terms of a higher number exchange, there’s no alternative for creating future generations of local players. He mentioned, “This is something they achieved by bringing in Beckham first (in 2007, David Beckham moved from Real Madrid to LA Galaxy). It contributed to the popularity of football in the United States. Now, there’s an attempt to increase popularity by bringing Messi. But ultimately, it’s essential for the United States to have their own heroes for the children to say, ‘Hey, I can also become a (big-scale) footballer.'”
Messi’s presence has been quite eventful in the American football season. He scored 11 goals in 14 matches, making 5 assists. With him, Inter Miami won the League’s Cup, which was the club’s first-ever championship.
As the American football season concludes and with no Argentine games currently, Messi is enjoying an extended break. He might return to the field on January 19 against El Salvador for pre-season preparations. As part of the pre-season preparations, his team, Inter Miami, will also travel to Asia in February.
