“No NFL Player Moves the Needle Like Messi” – After 54,000,000 Deal, Lionel Messi’s Groundbreaking Contract Detailed by Football Agent

The most decorated soccer superstar has taken the US by storm. MLS and Inter Miami are topping the search results. The social media following and ticket prices saw a spike. The dynamics of the US soccer has changed. You guessed it right. Lionel Messi is the talk of the town, and his ground-breaking deal impressed the NFL agents.

The Argentine’s decision to join Inter Miami from PSG raised many eyebrows. He rejected the billion-dollar offer from Al Hilal in favor of David Beckham’s MLS franchise. As the details of the deal emerged, it amazed the fans. And NFL agents weren’t an exception to that.

NFL agents have their say on Lionel Messi and his Inter Miami contract

NFL is the most popular sport in America. The football league is the one with the highest revenue in the US. Comparatively, soccer stands nowhere near to American Football. However, Messi’s move has changed the game. MLS showed the world it can attract and entice significant names. The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner has brought the global attention to the MLS. No NFL player can even match the influence of Messi.

And that’s what NFL agents say. The agents spoke to The Athletic on various aspects on the promise of anonymity. One of those was the humongous $54 million contract of the Argentine and the Apple and Adidas profit share in the deal. When asked if it would change the dynamics of contracts in the NFL, one agent said, “No NFL player moves the needle like Messi.”

Most agents think the same, as they almost unanimously felt it won’t trend in the NFL. One agent pointed out that the NFL does not have fully guaranteed contracts. Another agent feels it will take a massive change, like Saudi taking over LIV Golf, to have deals like Messi, which makes him the highest-paid athlete in the US. The agents feel that despite being the most popular sport in America, the trending agreements will only be possible under “crazy circumstances.”

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What makes Messi’s deal different from David Beckham?

Before Messi, David Beckham‘s move to the MLS franchise LA Galaxy garnered attention in the US. Beckham sent shockwaves by leaving Real Madrid for MLS. Crucially, the talking point was the significant pay cut the English legend took. But there was a twist. MLS went out of the box by providing the revenue shares to Beckham from the day-to-day activities of the club.

Additionally, he got a chance to buy an expansion franchise for a mere $25 million. Messi also has a contract along the same lines. He will also have a chance to buy stakes in Inter Miami at a discounted price. But Messi will cash out tremendously by sharing Adidas and Apple TV profits, unlike Beckham, thanks to the enormous fan following. 

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