Campana rescues Inter Miami amid poor Suarez showing 

No Haaland in GOAL's Premier League Team of the Season

Canada job is make or break for Marsch's managerial career

Jurgen Klopp: More than a manager

WSL winners & losers of the 2023-24 season

Man City warned 115 charges 'couldn't be any more serious'

Madrid U-turn? Club consider changing Modric and Kroos plan

Kane to finally pick up trophy ahead of Bayern clash

'Deal is happening' - Ramsdale to swap Arsenal for Newcastle

Wrexham ace says latest promotion feels 'different' to the first

Messi & Ronaldo would ‘stain careers’ with return to Europe

No trophies but Lehmann dazzles at Aston Villa awards night

<p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><ul><li>Herons snapped up Argentine in 2023</li><li>Breaking records on &amp; off the field</li><li>Can take advantage of MLS calendar</li></ul><script type="application/json" data-placement="fcplayer-semantic">{"type":"fcplayer-semantic","data":{"embedCode":"//cdn.fcp.codes/embed-code-template/embed-code-template.js#SEMANTIC_5704afb8-c10b-4ba5-9cb4-d7fb6098ef90"}}</script>

Explained: How Lionel Messi has Inter Miami exploiting lucrative loophole that puts them ‘above what a professional club has ever won’

Major League Soccer

Vancouver Whitecaps

Inter Miami CF

<p>The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/secret-meetings-10-year-project-how-david-beckham-signed-lionel-messi-inter-miami-co-owner/bltcc28a521e2bdff22 " target="_blank">made his way to the United States in the summer of 2023</a> after reaching the end of his contract at Paris Saint-Germain. David Beckham and Co were able to lure him to Florida, with there <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/david-beckham-explains-why-inter-miami-signed-lionel-messi-transfer-million-messages/blt2b5678fd0dc2cb12 " target="_blank">obvious benefits to be found in that deal</a>.</p><div class="affiliate-button-container theme-1" data-name="Apple TV"><div class="affiliate-button"><img class="logo" height="40" width="72" src="https://eu-images.contentstack.com/v3/assets/bltcc7a7ffd2fbf71f5/blt2de198b67da95a2e/65709d2436cf7d0407034ef9/Apple_TV.png" style="width: 72px; height: 40px;"><span class="affiliate-text">Get the MLS Season Pass today!</span></div><a href="https://tv.apple.com/channel/tvs.sbd.7000?itsct=goal_mls&amp;itscg=30200&amp;at=1010l39UY" class="affiliate-button-link" target="_blank">Stream games now</a></div>

WHAT HAPPENED?

<p>Messi has generated huge turnover for the Herons, as merchandise and <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/lionel-messi-tickets-more-in-demand-any-nfl-team-prices-soar-over-3000-mls-inter-miami-debut-new-york/blt143c1331e86cd279" target="_blank">tickets are shifted at record-breaking rates</a>, and the team’s general director has told the <a href="https://twitter.com/EFEdeportes/status/1786390577178673276 " target="_blank"><em>EFE</em></a> news agency of how the Argentine is posting historic numbers. Xavier Asensi said: “With the arrival of Messi, we have gone from having a budget of earning just over 60 million to ending up billing around 125 or 130. This year I hope we will start billing around 200 million dollars, or more.”</p>

WHAT ASENSI SAID

<p>Messi is allowing Inter Miami to maximise all revenue streams, including pre-season tours. Tata Martino’s side <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/lionel-messi-historic-hong-kong-tour-inter-miami-mls-pre-season-plans-luis-suarez/blt5559ead35e2c99b4" target="_blank">headed to Saudi Arabia and the Far East</a> ahead of the 2024 campaign, with the MLS calendar and presence of an all-time great playing into their hands. Asensi added: “Whatever Inter Miami can earn on a preseason tour, it is above what a professional football club has ever won. There are several factors, such as the fact that the big European clubs can do their tours at the same time, which is in the summer. We can do them when no one at that level can do them, which is in January or February. With Leo, obviously we try to pull behind him in this sense and adapt the structure so that this can happen, but 80 percent of zero is zero. If Messi were not there, what we are talking about would not exist.”</p>

THE BIGGER PICTURE

<p>Inter Miami continue to benefit from having Messi around on and off the field, with the interest that they are generating around the world <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/lionel-messi-mania-inter-miami-value-1-billion-mark-argentina-star-arrival-third-mls-rankings/bltc5805f5ca2183e76" target="_blank">seeing their value and profile soar</a>. They are giving an ever-growing fan base plenty to shout about, with Messi’s stunning form of late seeing him <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/lionel-messi-mls-mvp-only-clown-disagree-ex-usmnt-star-taylor-twellman-inter-miami-superstar-rewriting-history/blt39d8b7dfad9797ba" target="_blank">generate MVP buzz in an ongoing bid to savour MLS Cup glory</a>.</p>

WHAT NEXT FOR MESSI?

Explained: How Lionel Messi has Inter Miami exploiting lucrative loophole that puts them ‘above what a professional club has ever won’ | Goal.com US

Lionel Messi is allowing Inter Miami to exploit a lucrative loophole that has them “above what a professional club has ever won”.

Editors' Picks