Lionel Messi’s Impact: Inter Miami’s Social Media Surge
Lionel Messi, widely regarded as the greatest football player of all time, is not only a sporting legend but also a global superstar. With an impressive list of achievements, including ten La Liga titles, four Champions Leagues, seven Ballon d’Or awards, and a World Cup victory, Messi’s success on the pitch is matched by his immense popularity off it. When a team signs Messi, they are not just acquiring one of the best players in the history of the sport; they are also gaining one of its biggest celebrities.
Messi’s immense popularity is evident from his massive following on social media platforms. With 478 million followers on Instagram, he surpasses the likes of Kim Kardashian, Beyonce, and Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson. The only individual with more followers than Messi is his contemporary rival Cristiano Ronaldo, who boasts 595 million followers. When Messi announced his intention to join MLS franchise Inter Miami after leaving Paris Saint-Germain as a free agent, the club experienced the magnitude of his following.
On June 7, the day of Messi’s announcement, Inter Miami had around 900,000 Instagram followers. Within 24 hours, that number skyrocketed to an astonishing 4.5 million. During the week following June 5, Inter Miami gained over 6.7 million followers, surpassing the popularity of the Miami Heat, who were competing in the NBA Finals against the Denver Nuggets at that time.
As of now, Inter Miami has 8.6 million followers on Instagram, surpassing the following of any other MLS, NHL, MLB, and NFL franchise. This number even exceeds the combined totals of the New York Yankees (3.3 million) and the New England Patriots (4.9 million), which are considered the MLB and NFL franchises with the largest followings on the platform. Only four U.S. sports franchises have a greater following than Inter Miami: the Chicago Bulls (9.8 million), Cleveland Cavaliers (12.4 million), Los Angeles Lakers (22.8 million), and Golden State Warriors (30.8 million). This reflects the international fame of basketball legends such as Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Stephen Curry.
The surge in Inter Miami’s social media following is significant considering that Messi has not even played a game for the club yet. By the time Messi steps onto the field, projected to be in the Leagues Cup clash against Liga MX side Cruz Azul on July 21, Inter Miami might have already surpassed the Bulls and possibly the Cavaliers in terms of social media following. To put this into perspective, when Cristiano Ronaldo joined Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr, they had just over 800,000 followers. They now boast more than 15 million followers.
A similar trend was observed when Messi left Barcelona for PSG in 2021. The French club gained 5.6 million followers on social media within a week of the announcement. They now have over 67 million followers, making them the third most followed football club on Instagram, trailing only FC Barcelona and Real Madrid. While Messi did not achieve PSG’s ultimate goal of winning the Champions League, his presence alongside Kylian Mbappe and Neymar significantly elevated the club’s global status. According to Forbes, PSG is valued between $4.2 billion and $4.8 billion, making them the fourth most valuable football brand in the world.
Inter Miami owners David Beckham and Jorge Mas will be hoping that Messi’s arrival has a similar immediate impact, albeit on a smaller scale. The surge in social media following is not limited to Instagram alone; Inter Miami also gained 371,950 followers on Twitter during June, compared to just 88 followers in May. With Messi’s arrival, Inter Miami surpassed most of the MLS teams on Twitter, even overtaking the five-time MLS Cup champions LA Galaxy to become the second-most followed MLS side, behind Atlanta United.
It would come as no surprise if Inter Miami dethrones Atlanta United on Twitter, especially considering that their new head coach, Tata Martino, led Atlanta to an MLS Cup victory in 2018. With the addition of the magician from Rosario, Argentina, Inter Miami has transformed from an afterthought in the MLS to one of the country’s biggest sports social media brands.
The impact of Lionel Messi goes beyond his performances on the pitch. His immense popularity and global following have the power to transform a club’s social media presence and elevate its status. Inter Miami’s surge in social media followers is a testament to Messi’s influence and the excitement surrounding his arrival. As Messi prepares to don the Inter Miami jersey, fans eagerly await his debut and the potential records he will break both on and off the field.