Lionel Messi’s impact on American football is bigger than Pele’s, says Hollywood star Owen Wilson – after watching the World Cup winner shine against LAFC
- Messi recorded his first two MLS assists on Sunday as Miami beat LAFC 3-1
- Miami faces a long climb in the MLS if they want to make the playoffs
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Hollywood actor and LAFC fan Owen Wilson has become the latest big name to compare Lionel Messi at Inter Miami to Pele’s iconic stay in America at the New York Cosmos in 1975.
In fact, the Zoolander star believes Messi has had a bigger impact on American football than the Brazilian legend did many years ago.
“I remember it was such a big deal as a kid when Pele played for the Cosmos, and it feels that way again with Messi, but maybe even bigger,” Wilson said on Sunday night.
In a similar way to Pele, Messi shocked the world when he signed for Miami and brought unprecedented amounts of attention to the team.
When Pele came to New York in 1975, the Cosmos had to move to a larger stadium to accommodate the larger number of fans who wanted to attend his first game. Similarly, after Messi joined Miami, the team gained an increase of 11 million followers on Instagram and became the fourth most followed sports team in the United States.
Actor Owen Wilson has compared Lionel Messi coming to Miami to Pele going to New York Cosmos
Pele brought unfounded attention to American football when he came to New York in 1975
Messi has had a similar effect on MLS since joining Miami, which Wilson said could overshadow Pele’s
“I think it’s already doing that for the MLS,” Wilson said of Messi’s impact on the league. “You see the excitement.
“I had a friend in Dallas who went to the games. Just across the country. Even my mother is into it now.’
Since Messi joined Miami, the team has also seen a rapid increase in the number of celebrities attending their games, including LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, DJ Khaled, Prince Harry and many others.
The 36-year-old World Cup winner has certainly excited people who have flocked to the stadiums or signed up to watch it on Apple TV following Miami’s sensational attempt to clinch the first-ever Leagues Cup trophy.
Miami will now have their sights set on the big hill they need to climb if they want to make the MLS playoffs this season.
Due to the poor play that plagued the team all season before Messi and several others recently joined the team, Miami is currently in the basement of the rankings.
Miami’s 7-4-14 record has earned them just 25 points in 25 games to rank them 14th in the Eastern Conference. Their 25 points are also the third lowest in the entire league, ahead of only Toronto FC and the Colorado Rapids.
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