
<p>Nearly 50 years before Lionel Messi joined Inter Miami, the world’s greatest soccer player at the time, Pele, shocked the world by coming out of retirement to sign with the North American Soccer League’s New York Cosmos. These two transfers, separated by five decades, provide an intriguing comparison of the influence of global superstars. That impact has evolved within the country and the sport.</p>



<h5>Pele’s instant impact</h5>



<p>Pele arrived in New York in 1975 at the age of 34. At the time, soccer had little foothold in the American sports landscape. The NASL was still struggling for relevance, with matches attracting only a few thousand fans. Pele’s signing immediately boosted the Cosmos’ prestige. Match attendance skyrocketed into the five figures as fans flocked to see the Brazilian legend in action. During his three seasons with the Cosmos, Pele scored 37 goals in 64 appearances. He led the squad to the 1977 NASL Championship title in his final match. Pele’s combination of speed, power, and grace made him shine even on poor pitches and with limited sports science support. </p>



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<div class="ck-youtube"><iframe loading="lazy" title="Pele&apos;s Last New York Cosmos Game" width="500" height="375" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/E77xW3S8PNg?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>
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<p>More importantly, Pele’s charisma, flair, and <a href="https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/37635133/when-pele-ruled-soccer-us-new-york-cosmos" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">larger-than-life persona</a> gave soccer unprecedented appeal and helped launch the first boom in American soccer interest. His Cosmos became a top draw for celebrities and media attention while also touring internationally as soccer ambassadors. Although Pele retired after 1977, the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/pele-leaves-behind-an-everlasting-soccer-legacy-in-america-20221229-WST-413799.html">legacy of excitement and expanded youth participation</a> he spurred laid the foundation for the 1994 World Cup held in the United States.</p>



<h5>Messi’s impact</h5>



<p>In contrast, Messi’s arrival in 2023 coincides with soccer being firmly implanted in the American sports scene. MLS has expanded to 28 teams with many playing in soccer-specific stadiums. The US men’s and women’s national teams are consistent fixtures in their respective World Cups. And soccer trails only American football and basketball in youth participation.</p>



<p>At 35 years old, Messi joined Inter Miami six months removed from leading Argentina to glory at the 2022 World Cup. His signing has already led to increased ticket sales, sponsorship deals, and greater media coverage for Inter Miami. It has also boosted subscribers and viewership for Apple’s MLS streaming package. Through six matches so far, Messi has scored nine goals and helped lead Miami to the final of the Leagues Cup tournament. Messi’s low center of gravity, tight dribbling, and split-second decision-making helped him dominate and produce jaw-dropping moments in the modern era.</p>



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<h2>Pele planted the seeds that Messi now grows in American soccer</h2>



<p>Pele’s superstardom almost 50 years ago was enough to attract fans to a fledgling league. Now, Messi’s presence accelerates the commercial growth of an established league and teams. The NASL did grow after Pele’s departure. It was not a question of Pele but a poorly run league structure. Yet, the youth participation it created was the seed that ultimately led to the MLS era. </p>



<p>MLS clubs now have the reach and resources to attract not just aging legends. Instead, the league can bring in global talents in their prime. The increased interest and revenue generated by Messi provide long-term benefits for continued league investment and development. Beyond their impact on American soccer, Pele and Messi’s lasting legacies will be their otherworldly skills that revolutionized the sport. They set new standards of greatness in their respective eras.</p>



<p>Initially, Pele paved the roads. Now, Messi’s arrival signifies American soccer truly entering the global mainstream. It represents the fruits of decades of growth. Both men have the unmatched ability to transcend even their soccer talents to advance the sport globally. For American soccer, the king and the GOAT are two regal pillars of the beautiful game.</p>



<p><em>PHOTO: IMAGO + HMB-Media</em></p>


Messi, like Pele, can leave a historic legacy on American soccer

Messi and Pele played in two vastly different eras of American soccer. Both can be major figures for how it is seen in the future.

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<p>Earlier this year, sports intelligence agency Twenty-First Group ranked MLS as the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/study-mls-ranked-29th-most-competitive-soccer-league-in-world-20230125-WST-416694.html">29th most competitive soccer league</a> in the world. Since then, a lot has changed in Major League Soccer and other leagues around the world including the Saudi Pro League. However, one thing that hasn’t changed is that MLS is still ranked number 29 in the world. This time, it’s according to brand-new research led by Opta, the industry leader in soccer data worldwide.</p>



<p>US-owned sports analytics company Opta has released new rankings for the strongest leagues in the world. For reference, the Premier League topped the list, and the Brazilian Serie A was the only non-European league in the top 10. It sat tenth on that list.</p>



<p>However, for American audiences, much of the focus has been on the battle between <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/mls-tv-schedule/">Major League Soccer</a> and the Saudi Pro League. While MLS signed Lionel Messi, Saudi Arabia brought in <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/list-of-footballers-signed-by-saudi-arabia-this-summer-20230728-WST-446173.html">key stars from across Europe</a>. <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/karim-benzema-bids-farewell-to-real-madrid-after-14-years-20230604-WST-436009.html">Karim Benzema</a>, <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/ngolo-kante-joins-al-ittihad-in-deal-worth-over-100-million-20230621-WST-438816.html">N’golo Kante</a>, <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/another-treble-winner-leaves-city-his-successor-lies-at-barcelona-20230720-WST-444363.html">Riyad Mahrez</a> and most recently <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/mls-and-barcelona-to-miss-out-on-neymar-as-psg-accept-bid-20230813-WST-449899.html">Neymar</a> are players to make the jump over to the Middle East. Also, <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/cristiano-ronaldo-joins-al-nassr-in-211-million-per-year-deal-20221231-WST-413970.html">Cristiano Ronaldo</a> was already over there after joining Al-Nassr at the beginning of the year.</p>



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<p>However, despite those changes to both leagues and the other competitions across the world, MLS sitting at 29th is not necessarily new. While Messi, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets certainly make Inter Miami stronger, their impact on the league is minimal. Popularity may be growing, but these rankings are based on a combination of form, personnel and recent success.</p>



<p>The league rankings are based on the averages of the teams in the league. This may hurt MLS due to its sheer size. There are, ironically, 29 teams in the American top flight. Even though the Philadelphia Union, LAFC, New England, Cincinnati and Nashville are all in the top 250 clubs, other clubs weigh the league down. For example, Toronto FC ranks No. 1135. That is right behind Douanes from the Senegal Premier League and just ahead of Atlético Baleares from the Spanish third tier.</p>



<h2>Opta compares MLS and Saudi Pro League in strongest league rankings</h2>



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<p>The Messi debate against Ronaldo now extends into leagues. While MLS may take some international flak with a reputation as a retirement league, it does rank slightly higher than the Saudi Pro League. MLS’s place of 29th is seven spots higher than the Saudi Pro League, which is at No. 36. This comes down to balance across MLS, while the Saudi Pro League is more spread out in its current power rankings.</p>



<p>The highest-ranked team in MLS is the Philadelphia Union at No. 155. By comparison, there are three Saudi Pro League clubs before the next MLS team. Al Ittihad ranks first for the Saudis, followed by Al Hilal and Al Nassr in third. Each of these clubs made major moves this summer to bring in more highlight names. </p>



<p>However, despite the top-heavy Saudi Pro League, the bottom of the league severely brings it down. Thirteen of the bottom 14 teams in the power rankings between the two leagues come from the Saudi Pro League. Only Toronto FC ranks in that bottom pack in terms of clubs from MLS. </p>



<h2>Top 25 strongest leagues in the world</h2>



<ol><li>Premier League</li><li>Bundesliga</li><li>LaLiga</li><li>Serie A</li><li>Ligue 1</li><li>Belgian Pro League</li><li>Swiss Super League</li><li>Primeira Liga</li><li>Eredivisie</li><li>Brazilian Serie A</li></ol>



<p><em>Source:</em> <a href="https://theanalyst.com/eu/2023/08/the-strongest-leagues-in-world-football-opta-power-rankings/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Opta Rankings</a>.</p>



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<div class="ck-youtube"><iframe loading="lazy" title="Opta Sports Analytics - Behind The Scenes And Interviews With The Sports Data Mavens" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ySlAzS8Oouw?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>
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<p><em>PHOTO: IMAGO / ABACAPRESS</em></p>

MLS ranked 29th strongest league in the world, per Opta

US-owned sports analytic company Opta released new rankings for the strongest league in the world, and it put MLS as 29th.

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MLS ranked 29th strongest league in the world, per Opta