Messi’s seven-goal World Cup heroics tipped to boost MLS growth

Lionel Messi’s inspired displays for Argentina at the 2026 World Cup can only be good news for the growth of Major League Soccer, according to former MLS defender Greg Garza.

Messi, who plays his club football in the United States for Inter Miami, has scored seven goals so far at the tournament as Argentina booked their place in the Round of 16 while defending the trophy they lifted four years ago.

Those seven strikes have also seen the 38-year-old become the World Cup’s all-time leading scorer, taking his overall tally in the competition to 20 goals across his career with the Albiceleste.

MLS well represented on the biggest stage

Messi is one of 45 active MLS players named in World Cup squads this summer, a notable figure for a league that is marking its 30th anniversary in 2026.

Garza, speaking exclusively to FourFourTwo, believes the sight of the game’s biggest star lining up for an MLS club while starring at the World Cup sends a powerful message to young fans in the United States and beyond.

“Lionel Messi representing MLS and also playing for the Argentinian national team in the World Cup is unbelievable,” Garza said. “I think if you are a young boy you coul…”

A boost for the league’s profile

Messi’s move to Inter Miami in 2023 already triggered a surge of interest in MLS from supporters across the globe, including plenty here in the UK who follow his every touch on television and social media.

Garza’s argument is that seeing him produce match-winning World Cup performances, rather than merely playing in America once his peak years were behind him, reinforces the credibility of MLS as a competitive destination for elite talent.

With Argentina now through to the knockout stages, Messi’s World Cup journey is far from over, and every further contribution he makes is likely to be viewed through the lens of what it means for the league he now calls home.

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