"I did not appreciate the power and the reach that he had" – Apple chief explains why he was left 'shocked' by Lionel Messi

Apple senior vice president Eddy Cue has expressed his shock at the impact of Argentina great Lionel Messi's arrival at Major League Soccer (MLS) outfit Inter Miami in the recent past.

Messi, 36, decided to sign a two-and-a-half year deal at the Herons after departing Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) at the end of his contract past July. He helped his team lift the 2023 Leagues Cup, scoring 11 goals and recording five assists in 14 overall appearances last year.

After Inter Miami's 2-0 MLS triumph against Real Salt Lake earlier this Wednesday, Cue hailed the Argentine's arrival. Commenting on the MLS' growth in the past few months, he said (h/t France 24):

"I'm excited that there are teams that are definitely pushing hard. Obviously what Inter Miami has done is an example of that and I think there needs to be more teams doing that and I think there will be. At least I've seen it enough now that there's a level of excitement... when anybody asks what do I want from anybody, any of the teams, I'm like, sign some more players!"

Claiming that Messi has positively influenced Apple TV's subscriptions for the MLS since arriving on a free transfer last year, Cue continued:

"I was shocked. I had no idea because I knew it would make a difference but I thought it would take time. He just moved the needle really fast on a global perspective and the U.S. perspective. So, no, I did not appreciate the power and the reach that he had... it's amazing to see."

In 2022, Apple struck a deal with the MLS for their exclusive streaming rights. They are contractually bound to offer streaming of all league games on a global scale till 2032 for at least $250 million-per-season.

Lionel Messi's club teammate opens up on aspirations to help Inter Miami lift MLS Cup

After Inter Miami's season-opening win against Real Salt Lake, Herons striker Luis Suarez revealed that he is aiming to help his new club lift their maiden MLS Cup trophy. He told reporters (h/t ESPN):

"There is no better ambition and desire than to come to a team that won its first title last year [the Leagues Cup] and try to win the MLS, a title that the club has never achieved. That is the desire, the challenge that I and the rest of the team have, to achieve that first title at club level which would be very important in MLS."

Suarez, who left Brazilian outfit Gremio to join Inter Miami on a free transfer earlier this January, made his debut in front of his own fans on Wednesday (February 21). The 37-year-old marked his first Herons appearance with a 83rd-minute assist for midfielder Diego Gomez.

Meanwhile, Lionel Messi's outfit will next face LA Galaxy in their MLS encounter at the Dignity Health Sports Park on Sunday (February 25).