Lionel Messi highlighting how MLS teams must spend more on defenders

They could have renamed the Leagues Cup ‘the Messi Cup’ and nobody would have batted an eyelid. Indeed, the legendary Argentine dominated the inaugural mid-season tournament between Major League Soccer and Liga MX teams, scoring 10 goals in just seven games as Inter Miami clinched their first piece of silverware in franchise history.

Four days later, the world champion’s two assists helped take Miami to penalties against FC Cincinnati in the US Open Cup, where the club advanced to their second tournament title match of the season.

Messi has only been in South Florida for two months, but he’s already producing magic on a consistent basis. His goal in the Leagues Cup final against Nashville defied logic, with the 36-year-old finding the top corner despite no fewer than four opposition players closing him down on the edge of the box.

Messi is undoubtedly the best to play in MLS. Still, questions have to be asked of the level of defending in MLS. While goals like the one against Nashville were purely down to Messi’s quality, other goals – like the one the Argentine scored in the Leagues Cup semi-final against the Philadelphia Union – were partly due to mistakes made by opposition players. 

It’s not just Messi defenders are having a tough time against. MLS rivals have also yet to figure out how to handle Sergio Busquets with the former Barcelona midfield being afforded a lot of time and space in the centre of the pitch – see the goal scored by Messi assisted by Busquets against Atlanta United.

MLS bent over backwards to sign Messi because of the eyeballs he would draw to the league. The historic contract handed to the 36-year-old is already being vindicated with interest in MLS at an all-time high. MLS Season Pass subscriptions have doubled since Messi’s arrival at Inter Miami in July.

However, Messi’s signing has exposed some of the imbalances in the league. Roster restrictions and transfer rules mean clubs funnel the majority of their budget into attacking players, neglecting defences. Out of 80 Designated Players in the league, only four (Walker Zimmerman, Andreas Maxso, Thiago Martins, Teenage Hadebe) are currently defenders. That says a lot.

David Beckham’s arrival in MLS in 2007 was a landmark moment for the league. It forced change in terms of how much money clubs could spend on star players. MLS had to create a new rule called the Designated Player rule (dubbed ‘The Beckham Rule’ at the time) to permit the LA Galaxy to sign Beckham and that rule exists to this day. MLS would look very different without its DPs. 

A lot has changed in MLS since the days of Beckham. There are 29 franchises across the league with San Diego set to become the 30th franchise in 2025. Expansion spots are now going for as much as $500m while soccer-specific stadiums continue to sprout up around the United States and Canada.

The DP rule, though, has remained the same – clubs are currently permitted to have three DPs in their squad at any given time. Originally, MLS’s salary cap was designed to prevent the sort of reckless spending that ultimately saw the old NASL implode in the 1970s and 80s, but such caution is no longer required.

Clubs now have the backing to spend more money. Increasingly, it feels like MLS general managers and sporting directors are having to be creative to get around the league’s rules – see Los Angeles FC’s signing of Gareth Bale and Inter Miami’s signing of Jordi Alba, both of which have aroused suspicion in MLS circles. 

If MLS truly wants to improve the quality of the league across the board, it must loosen the purse strings. At present, clubs feel they must focus spending on attacking players. With a bigger budget, though, more money would likely trickle down to the defensive positions. Better balance could be achieved.

Messi’s signing could be a watershed moment for MLS, but only if the league allows it to be. MLS must already start considering what will come after the former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain player. There must be a lasting legacy and it’s not enough to hope Messi will turn new fans into fans that will stick around after he’s gone.

Five years from now, MLS could look back at the arrival of Messi as the thing that turned the league into one of the best in the world. Better defenders are needed for that to materialise. This could be one of the most lasting impacts of Messi’s time in MLS. His goals are thrilling, yes – but they are also generating an important discussion.