The AppleTV+ platform today premieres the first episodes of its new event documentary series, Messi Meets America. Dedicated to the signing of Argentinian footballer Lionel Messi to American team Inter Miami CF, the program also highlights a portrait of America today.
On July 15, a page in soccer history was changed with the signing of Lionel Messi to the Inter Miami soccer team, which plays in Major League Soccer (North American Championship). A transfer that follows the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo, who left to join Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nasr.
The arrival of the Argentine genius was the main priority of the legendary former player of the Miami team, now the former owner, David Beckham. Despite two lackluster seasons under the colors of PSG, Lionel Messi has finally won the World Cup title that eludes him at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
A few months after that title, which put him on par with another Argentinian icon, Diego Maradona, Lionel Messi will this time face his legend with the Brazilian Pele, who wore the colors of the New York Cosmos in the late 70s (and whose epic story is told in a fascinating documentary).
The American Revolution
In general, signing a player in the North American Championship is synonymous with early retirement. Previously, iconic players paved the way for MLS to be introduced to the general public: David Beckham (LA Galaxy), Thierry Henry (New York Red Bulls), Alessandro Nesta (Montreal Impact) and Wayne Rooney (DC United).
Beyond the sporting aspect, signing Lionel Messi was also a genius marketing move. By providing unprecedented exposure to a league where soccer is still called “soccer,” Pulga’s arrival also made it possible to fill MLS stadiums.
“All the tickets sold out in less than ten minutes, we haven’t seen that since Taylor Swift came on.” The manager of FC Dallas confides in the second episode of the series. Another consequence of the arrival of the Argentine wonder: a sharp increase in ticket prices (from 40 dollars to several hundred dollars for the cheapest seats!).
The beginning of messimania?
Therefore, it is precisely this phenomenon, which we can already describe as Messimania, that is traced in the new documentary series “Messi Meets America”, available on AppleTV+ and myCANAL. Three episodes are already available to watch, and others that are already in production will be broadcast later this season.
The most dedicated fans of the Argentine will not learn much at the sporting level. But the series is still worth watching as it focuses on the impact of this arrival on Latin American communities across the country, but also on the media aspect of this transfer.
In the United States, MLS matches are also broadcast on AppleTV+. In France, where the platform does not have the right to broadcast the North American championship, this documentary, produced mainly for promotional purposes, will still be able to satisfy Messi fans and soccer fans.
However, we can regret the lack of perspective that emerges from this documentary. Messi’s thunderous debut told in the series gives the impression that he wants to write before the legend is actually established. Therefore, this instant side offers an original, yet shallow, American adventure of Lionel Messi.
So we’ll just have to hope that the coming months offer us enough content and twists to convince us that this series really deserves to see the light of day. Beyond any commercial approach, of course.
The documentary series Messi Meets America can be seen on AppleTV+, accessible through the myCANAL app.
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Source: Allocine
Camila Luna is a writer at Gossipify, where she covers the latest movies and television series. With a passion for all things entertainment, Camila brings her unique perspective to her writing and offers readers an inside look at the industry. Camila is a graduate from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a degree in English and is also a avid movie watcher.
