Miami Messi effect: Inter Miami becomes the 5th most followed sports team in the US

(By Marcelo Maurizio) Messi-mania has achieved something incredible for the sport in the United States, as Inter Miami has become the fifth team with the most followers on Instagram. Messi + Miami is now known as Messiami, or the #MessiEffect or Messimania, and it has become a significant cultural, economic, and sporting factor not only in Florida or Miami but throughout the entire country and the entire continent of America. Today, the greatest star in football, the most beloved and charismatic player, is playing in the MLS. Messi, the player most cherished by brands and the most captivating personality for all media, has turned a country that previously had little prominence in terms of teams and football leagues into the center of global attention.

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Miami eagerly awaits Messi's arrival: "As we prepare to welcome him to the MLS, Lionel Messi is currently on an Asian tour with the Argentine national team," commented one of the Inter Miami insiders.

  • Inter Miami has already reached 8 million followers, and Messi hasn't even played yet. From 1 to 8 million followers in less than a week, that's how many followers Inter Miami has gained thanks to Leo Messi. This impact is not only affecting American soccer but also American sports in general.

  • After the Warriors, Lakers, Cavaliers, and Chicago Bulls, Inter Miami is now the fifth powerhouse in terms of followers and continues to grow day by day.

Which are the most followed American sports teams on Instagram? When it comes to American sports teams, many come to mind and are highly popular. However, there are only four teams that have more followers on Instagram than Inter Miami. In fourth place, we have the Chicago Bulls with 9.7 million followers. In third place, we have the Cleveland Cavaliers with 15.7 million. In second place, we have the Los Angeles Lakers with 22.8 million. And in first place, we have the Golden State Warriors with 30.6 million followers as of Tuesday, June 13. All of them are NBA teams, while Inter Miami is the only soccer team in the top five. It's worth noting that no MLB or NFL teams have made it to the list.

This is just the beginning. On Monday, June 12, we reported from Miami in this article that Inter Miami had already reached 4 million followers and was the team with the most fans in the MLS.

Inter Miami CF se convierte en el equipo con más seguidores de la MLS (tras el anuncio de Messi)

Despite already achieving impressive numbers on Instagram, there is a great possibility that the team will continue to increase its number of followers as the date of Messi's debut approaches. Few athletes have the level of influence and popularity that Messi possesses. The MLS was fortunate that Leo Messi accepted their invitation to play in the United States. The question on everyone's mind is how Messi will adapt to a team that was near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings. It's a tremendous challenge for Messi, one that he will gladly accept.

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