DeAndre Yedlin has given his verdict on what it was like playing with Inter Miami in the first few months after the arrival of Lionel Messi.
The Argentine superstar signed for the Herons last summer as Inter Miami quickly became one of the hottest tickets in town, with Messi becoming a huge public spectacle given the attacker’s incredible records in soccer.
Winning the Ballon d’Or last year, Messi remains one of the best players in the world and has brought the sport of soccer to a whole new level in the United States, with Inter Miami now also one of the most recognizable franchises in the world.
And former Inter Maimi captain Yedlin has shared what it was like playing with the Herons in those first few months of Messi-mania.
Yedlin stunned by Messi’s cultural impact at Inter Miami
Speaking to FC Cincinnati’s official website, the USA international revealed that playing with Messi and experiencing the shift in fan dynamics change is something Yedlin has never seen before in his career.
Even after playing for some huge European clubs with big support, Yedlin wasn’t prepared for what was to come with Messi, who could be regarded as the most famous athlete on the planet.
Yedlin said: “I can’t say that I had ever been a part of anything like that. I think I had been a part of things closer to that than a lot of the guys there had, especially a lot of the guys that haven’t left MLS and been in Europe. So I think that side of it, it was a little bit eye-opening for some guys at first.
“Where, you’re going from traveling and into a hotel where there’s maybe three people outside waiting to now 500 people. Even at away games, three-quarters of the crowd is wearing pink jerseys. It’s good, especially for those players and even for myself, to kind of see what comes with that level of attention.”
Messi has changed everything about soccer in the United States
Messi’s star power is unlike anything the United States has seen in sports since the peak years of Michael Jordan at the Chicago Bulls, with the Argentine phenom the greatest to ever play the beautiful game.
And the forward coming to America whilst still at his peak has changed everything about soccer in the country, with MLS growing in popularity faster than ever, with Messi intent on pushing the sport even further during his time at Inter Miami.
Indeed, the numbers speak for themselves, and if Messi can remain an Inter Miami player until the end of his contract in 2026, there’s a real chance that MLS can become one of the biggest sports leagues in the United States at long last.