Lionel Messi's popularity in MLS hits all-time low following his recent lack of availability for Inter Miami: Reports

Lionel Messi's popularity has reportedly hit an all-time low following his prolonged absence from Inter Miami's fixtures. The Argentine superstar has missed three consecutive games for the Herons across competitions.

Messi was not a part of Inter Miami's squad for their CONCACAF Round-of-16 clash against Cavalier SC and the MLS fixture against Houston Dynamo FC. Fans were hopeful of his return to the pitch during the Herons' MLS clash against Charlotte FC on March 9. However, the Argentine remained on the bench despite being a part of the squad.

Inter Miami have officially cited reasons pertaining to muscle overload to justify his absence, claiming they do not want to risk hampering Messi's fitness. However, Lionel Messi's absence has reportedly garnered widespread discontentment among fans. MLS viewers took to social media platform X to voice their disappointment, which led to an all-time low in positive reactions for Messi.

According to a study by BetVictor Canada, 24 percent of posts about Lionel Messi on X were negative. Only 12 percent were positive, marking an all-time low for the legendary Argentine in the past year. A spokesperson for the platform, Sam Boswell, said (via GOAL):

"Having missed three consecutive matches, our research has found that 24% of posts about Messi out of the US in the past month have been negative. That’s a sharp increase from the 16% in February and is the highest share of negative posts about him in the past year."

He continued:

"His popularity in the States is clearly fading, as just 12% of posts about him in March have been positive, the lowest proportion in the past year. With his popularity with MLS fans at an all-time low, Messi will need to put in some dazzling performances to win them over."

Inter Miami will next face Cavalier SC in the CONCACAF Round-of-16 second leg on March 13. They secured a 2-0 win in the first leg. However, Lionel Messi's presence at the game remains unconfirmed.

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USMNT wonderkid Cavan Sullivan weighs in on Lionel Messi's impact on the MLS since joining Inter Miami

Messi - Source: Getty

In an interview with FIFA for the Messi+10 documentary series, USMNT wonderkid Cavan Sullivan shared his take on how Lionel Messi has boosted the popularity of football in the US. The 15-year-old made his MLS debut for Philadelphia Union this month and is set to join Manchester City once he turns 18.

"It’s pretty apparent that stadiums have sold out, tickets have been sold, more television viewers, just his impact on world football has been astronomical. Obviously, non-soccer fans are buying tickets to watch him play and then they turn into soccer fans. That's what I like to see here in the country," Sullivan said (via GOAL).

The youngster, who has yet to face Lionel Messi in a match, added:

"These past few years, American soccer has jumped a lot of levels, but there are still people who aren’t aware of how fun and how the beautiful game can be so [enjoyable]. It’s good to see people switch over to watching soccer."

Messi joined Inter Miami as a free agent from Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in the summer of 2023. Weeks after his arrival, he led the Herons to their first trophy in history with the 2023 Leagues Cup. Last year, the Argentine also led them to the 2024 Supporters' Shield and was named the MLS MVP (Most Valuable Player).