"Messi has been the type of boost that MLS has needed. The issue for MLS has been attracting stars at the end of their career," said Andrew Zimbalist, a professor at Smith College and co-author of National Pastime: How Americans Play Baseball and the Rest of the World Plays Football.
Miami had won the regular season campaign with a record points total but after losing twice in the best-of-three series, the MLS Cup favourites and their eight-times Ballon d'Or winner are out.
Portuguese winger Xande Silva blasted home a sensational winner for Atlanta in the fourth minute of stoppage time in front of 68,455 home fans at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium to level the best-of-three postseason series 1-1 and set up a winner-take-all game three in Miami next Saturday.
"I like everything related to football. I like being with kids, teaching, and also maybe being a sporting director, but I don't know where I'm going to go."
The men's shortlist for the 2023/24 edition of the prestigious individual award is the first since 2003 to feature neither Lionel Messi nor Cristiano Ronaldo who hoovered up the prize 13 times between them.
Lionel Messi and Inter Miami will feature in next year's expanded FIFA Club World Cup, FIFA president Gianni Infantino announced on Saturday.
On-fire Lionel Messi scored his second hattrick of the week and Luis Suarez scored twice as Inter Miami beat the New England Revolution 6-2 to smash MLS's regular season points record.
As for what’s next, Messi believes he’s already lived beyond his childhood dreams.
Lionel Scaloni has been witness to many of Lionel Messi's magical moments over the course of his career but the Argentina manager said on Tuesday that even at the age of 37 his captain continues to amaze him.
"Messi has been the type of boost that MLS has needed. The issue for MLS has been attracting stars at the end of their career," said Andrew Zimbalist, a professor at Smith College and co-author of National Pastime: How Americans Play Baseball and the Rest of the World Plays Football.
Miami had won the regular season campaign with a record points total but after losing twice in the best-of-three series, the MLS Cup favourites and their eight-times Ballon d'Or winner are out.
Portuguese winger Xande Silva blasted home a sensational winner for Atlanta in the fourth minute of stoppage time in front of 68,455 home fans at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium to level the best-of-three postseason series 1-1 and set up a winner-take-all game three in Miami next Saturday.
"I like everything related to football. I like being with kids, teaching, and also maybe being a sporting director, but I don't know where I'm going to go."
The men's shortlist for the 2023/24 edition of the prestigious individual award is the first since 2003 to feature neither Lionel Messi nor Cristiano Ronaldo who hoovered up the prize 13 times between them.
Lionel Messi and Inter Miami will feature in next year's expanded FIFA Club World Cup, FIFA president Gianni Infantino announced on Saturday.
On-fire Lionel Messi scored his second hattrick of the week and Luis Suarez scored twice as Inter Miami beat the New England Revolution 6-2 to smash MLS's regular season points record.
As for what’s next, Messi believes he’s already lived beyond his childhood dreams.
Lionel Scaloni has been witness to many of Lionel Messi's magical moments over the course of his career but the Argentina manager said on Tuesday that even at the age of 37 his captain continues to amaze him.
Making only his second international appearance since recovering from an injury sustained at the Copa America in July, Messi capitalised on a mistake by defender Marcelo Suarez to open the scoring in the 19th minute.