The sensational transfer of Lionel Messi to Inter Miami has become the cause for all sorts of discussions in the sporting world, with many popular figures chiming in with their opinions. The latest celebrity to offer their 2 cents on the deal is famous broadcaster Colin Cowherd, who opted to draw an audacious comparison between Messi, and other renowned figures including LeBron James, and Beyonce.
Messi has turned into a trending topic ever since word of his move to the MLS broke out online. The 35-year-old confirmed his decision to move to The Herons via an informative interview, following which, key details of his contract at the David Beckham-owned club emerged online.
The details of Leo Messi’s proposed contract with Inter Miami 👀 pic.twitter.com/Y1maX1UC0f
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) June 8, 2023
As per reports, the World Cup winner will receive much more than a lavish financial package, owing to some incredible perks. Messi has reportedly been offered a percentage of profits from AppleTV subscriptions, a slice of revenue from Adidas’s shirt sales, and even the option to acquire an ownership stake in Inter Miami.
Given his immense popularity, the transfer has attracted attention from all corners of the world, and even from figures normally associated with US-based sports. This includes Colin Cowherd, host of ‘The Herd’ on Fox Sports. Known for his unique and assertive opinions, Cowherd was characteristically bullish while talking about the transfer on his show.
The 59-year-old labeled the move as the “biggest moment in the history of the franchise”, before going on to compare Messi’s fame to other celebrities.
Colin Cowherd: “It is the biggest moment in the history of franchise. When Beckham came it was a big move and Messi is 2x bigger than him. The Kardashians? Messi is bigger. The Rock? Messi is significantly bigger. Lebron? Beyonce? Messi is bigger.”
— All About Argentina 🛎🇦🇷 (@AlbicelesteTalk) June 9, 2023
He said, “Sports fans tend to think- everybody follows sports. Messi is massive for the MLS, the biggest moment in the history of the franchise, think Beckham times 2, and Beckham was big when he arrived here in the States. Miami, right now, is not a great team so they need him badly.”
“But any Kardashian? He’s bigger. The Rock? He’s significantly bigger. LeBron, Beyonce? Messi is significantly bigger. I don’t know why I know that, but my staff told me this morning and I’m gonna trust them on the Kardashian angle. But this is a remarkable moment, as sports is getting global and the NBA is being furnished with more remarkable international players, I think it is pretty cool that the MLS, our domestic Soccer league, can go out and bring a superstar, a mega superstar on our soil regularly. I think it’s really cool and I can’t wait to watch.”
Cowhered’s jubilation on the move is likely shared by Soccer fans everywhere, and just like the broadcaster, every supporter is looking forward to Messi’s first game in the MLS.
Lionel Messi dwarfs Dwayne Johnson and Kim Kardashian’s followers
As relayed by Cowherd, Lionel Messi is indeed ‘bigger’ than the likes of Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson and Kim Kardashian. Given Soccer’s global influence this should come as no surprise, and in case you’re in search of proof, look no further than their follower counts on Instagram.
While The Rock’s account can boast of having 383 million followers and Kim Kardashian’s can lay claim to 359 million, Lionel Messi’s dwarfs both by having a whopping 489 million followers. In fact, the Argentine is the second-most followed individual on the platform, beaten only by his competitive rival Cristiano Ronaldo.
For a more direct measure of his popularity, it’s worth taking a look at the follower count of Inter Miami’s Instagram account. Before the announcement of his arrival, the account sat at 1 million followers, but following the update, the figure skyrocketed.
The account has now grown to 5.5 million, more than five times the initial number. It wouldn’t be surprising to see it hit new heights in the coming days, solely because of Messi’s fame across the globe.