He has more than 800 goals, eight Golden Balls, a Copa América, a World Cup, and the reputation of being the best soccer player on the planet. Since his arrival in Major League Soccer (MLS) last year, he has filled stadiums wherever he goes. Argentine phenomenon Lionel Messi will (if all goes well) set foot on the pitch at the Saputo stadium for the first time on Saturday, bringing with him hordes of admirers ready to pay top dollar to see him in the flesh.
Among them, there will be Aziz Zaoui, who did not hesitate to buy a season ticket to CF Montreal for the first time to ensure he could see his “youth idol” up close during the only visit of the ‘Inter Miami in the metropolis this season.
“It represents for soccer fans all the beauty of this sport. Seeing him play in MLS is really a great opportunity,” says the 30-year-old Montrealer, who assiduously follows the activities of the club in the Quebec metropolis.
“I tried to go see him in the United States last year, but the price of a single ticket varied between $400 and $2,000. Knowing that he was going to come to Montreal once this year, I subscribed for the season, because I knew that the euphoria was going to happen here too. »
Coincidence or not, CF Montreal sold all of its subscriptions for 2024 (15,000), while the club had never exceeded the 10,000 mark before. The price of these subscriptions, which give access to 17 home games, varied between $443 and $2,749, a lower sum than for many tickets for Saturday’s game alone.
On Friday, there were still tickets for sale for the match on the official CF Montreal website. Their prices ranged from $325 to $9279.
“There are not many opportunities in your life to see Messi in person,” summarizes Zachary Desjardins. The 13-year-old soccer player, enrolled in the Sport-études program at the French College of Longueuil, will attend the match with his sister and his parents.
“I was really happy, I had tears in my eyes,” Zachary said of the moment he found out he was going to the Miami game. It’s rare to see a player like him in real life. I’m extremely excited, I think there’s going to be a crazy atmosphere, never seen before in Montreal, because of Messi. »
He still has to play. At 36, Messi is still an exceptional athlete, but his appearances are becoming rarer. This season, he was absent from 4 of the 12 matches played by his team. He was not in uniform on March 10, when CF Montreal defeated Inter 3-2 in Florida.
This does not prevent him from occupying the top points in MLS, with 10 goals and 12 assists.
A national hero
Among those crossing their fingers, there are many supporters in the colors of Albiceleste, the Argentine national team.
“For us, he represents resilience,” explains Mariano Lopez, an Argentinian living in Montreal since 1988.
The one nicknamed La Pulga (The Flea) because of his small size had to overcome several obstacles to reach the top of the football world.
Spotted very early because of his extraordinary talent, little Leo Messi is however affected by growth problems which risk jeopardizing his sporting career. At the age of 13, he went into exile in Europe, where the legendary FC Barcelona paid for the medical treatment that allowed him to reach the 1.70 m height he is today. Surrounded by stars at Barça, Messi scored goals at full speed and built an unrivaled record: 10 La Liga titles, the powerful Spanish first division, four UEFA Champions League titles, six Golden Boots European…
The results are more mixed for the national team, with Argentina accumulating disappointments.
“Messi is loved all over the world, but in Argentina, it took a long time for people to idolize him,” recalls Mariano Lopez. Everyone loved him, but we were very critical of the fact that when he played for Barcelona he won all the cups, but with Argentina he didn’t perform up to expectations. »
Messi has long suffered comparisons with the other famous Argentine number 10, the flamboyant Diego Maradona, legendary striker who led Argentina to the world title in 1986.
“ [Messi]he is someone who is very low profile, very reserved. He is not the obvious leader, warrior and big mouth like Maradona, who was capable, as in 1986, of taking the team on his shoulders, recalls Mr. Lopez. Maradona, who was born in the slums, who came from the people, also had a folkloric side when he went out to clubs and had his escapades. Messi doesn’t drink alcohol, he trains every day and takes care of his family. He’s the perfect child, a little distant from the reality of Argentines. »
It took the Copa América–World Cup double in 2021-2022 to finally seal the love story between the Argentinians and their Messi.
“ He is an undeniable idol. No one doubts him anymore, with all the trophies he has won in recent years and the consecration of the World Cup. For me, it’s the greatest,” says Mariano Lopez.
This big football fan, however, chose to skip a visit to the Saputo stadium. He will instead watch the meeting with other expats on television.
“Messi brings something very positive for soccer in North America, but unfortunately, there is also the other side of the coin. Normally, a ticket for CF Montreal costs between $30 and $50…”
A profitable bet
Hired for the tidy sum of US$150 million, Messi has so far fulfilled the hopes placed in him.
His arrival alone in 2023 allowed Miami, a previously moribund club, to double its value, which now stands at more than a billion US dollars. It also allowed the League’s two main sponsors, Apple TV and Adidas, to reap healthy profits. His number 10 jersey, for example, sold more than 100,000 copies in 2023.
On the pitch, Miami won the Leagues Cup in 2023 and is currently at the top of the MLS standings.
“Messi, like other stars before him, but undoubtedly more than those who preceded him, gives MLS the opportunity to broaden its consumer base, to increase the loyalty of those who were already fans and, ricochet, to increase total revenue And by partisan, observes André Richelieu, professor at the School of Management Sciences at UQAM. Lionel Messi is therefore, if I may say so, an example of a good return on investment in terms of marketing, financial and sporting. »
An investment that also pays off for the rest of the MLS.
If Saturday’s match will be played in the intimacy of the Saputo stadium and its 19,619 seats (one of the smallest stadiums on the circuit), other teams have chosen to change the amphitheater for the sole arrival of Messi. Last April, Sporting Kansas City temporarily moved to its NFL neighbors’ stadium, attracting 72,610 fans. There were 62,000 in Chicago last year (without Messi on the field) and 65,612 in New England at the start of the season.
According to André Richelieu, Messi has “a cumulative effect, which lasts over time, which offers the opportunity for MLS to accentuate its aura, in terms of the visibility of the league in North America and in the world, attendance at matches, viewing on television and in streaming, sponsorships, sale of derivative products, etc. “.
Enough to make you forget that the average fan has to empty his wallet to go see him in person…