“Messi 10”. Everywhere, all the time. It’s almost dizzying. When you walk around Chase Stadium before an Inter Miami match, there is only one name-number combination on the fans’ pink jerseys: that of the Argentine world champion.
Obviously, his jersey was the best-selling of the 2023 season. Which certainly suits the club and MLS. But in Miami, the Messi frenzy does not only make people happy.
“I think there are a lot of people who only come here to see Messi,” said José Gaitan, a longtime member of the Southern Legion, a supporters group whose existence even predates the arrival of the Inter Miami in MLS in 2020
PHOTO JEAN-FRANÇOIS TEOTONIO, THE PRESS
Jose Gaitan
We meet him a few hours before the game against CF Montreal, in one of the parking lots surrounding the venue. There’s beer, a barbecue, Latin music, and young people playing ball. Everyone is in pink, reflecting the festive and good-natured atmosphere.
“If Messi says he’s not playing, maybe they won’t come,” José continues. They take it like a concert. It brings back false limbs [chez les supporters]. They don’t know anything about the team, they come for Messi and that’s it. »
As in fact, the Pulga did not play against Montreal on Sunday. There was a great atmosphere in the stadium despite everything, and the most ardent groups of supporters contributed greatly to it.
Do you have the impression that through this larger-than-life adventure, the club is losing a little of its proximity to its first supporters, those who have followed the team since its beginnings in 2020?
“They don’t mind seeing that people only come for him. They just want to see as many people in the stadium as possible. »
“Everyone pitches in”
José Gaitan seems bitter, if we only rely on the comments cited above. The truth is that sportingly, he is delighted with the presence of the Argentinian in his club.
“It’s good because it helps the team. He brought some of his former Barcelona teammates with him. The team before Messi was worthless at all. We were losing all the time. It was a weak team. Now we are stronger. »
Carlos, one of the leaders of the Vice City 1896 group, sees only good things in it. “I’m very excited that Messi is here! We are improving as a club. But I won’t lie to you, it was boring [overwhelming]. »
He talks about the workload of managing VC1896 since last summer,
PHOTO JEAN-FRANÇOIS TEOTONIO, THE PRESS
Carlos (right), and two members of the group Vice City 1896
“We haven’t yet managed to adapt to it. When we started, we were a group of 40 people. Now there are more than 300 of us. There are people who want to join us every week. This is a lot of responsibility for our members. Everyone pitches in. »
We can take these last words literally: behind him, people are busy preparing the chorizo sandwiches which will be offered to the members a little later.
For these two supporters interviewed, from the majority Latino community in Miami, the love they have for their football team will obviously continue, well after the end of Lionel Messi’s contract in 2025.
“Our parents passed on their soccer culture to us,” explains Carlos, of Peruvian origin. We played in the streets when we were children. We try to pass it on to our children. »
“I have lived here for 20 years,” emphasizes José Gaitan. When I heard Miami was going to have a team, I was happy. I love being able to represent my city. […] We had terrible seasons. But there was still one during which I went to see all the matches, even away. »
We will see, in two years, what legacy will result from the Messi era in Miami.