The legendary player turned manager shares his thoughts on the impact Messi has made on the MLS, what it’s like repping the Three Stripes all these years, and where he sees himself headed next.
Zinedine Zidane is not just a phenomenal footballer turned legendary manager. The Frenchman is perhaps one of the most successful to do both, a feat rarely accomplished by some of the sport’s best.
Despite never having played or managed stateside in MLS, the former Real Madrid player and boss said he recognizes the league as instrumental to the advancement of soccer. Especially now with the arrival of Lionel Messi.
“I came to the States last year for an MLS match and it’s a league that is very eternal,” Zizou told Boardroom during the Super Bowl in Las Vegas. “It is a league that is becoming very important, especially with the arrival of Messi, because it is true that perhaps the American league plays on another level. I was able to see the enthusiasm Messi brought to the league. It’s an extension of his impact as one of the best to play the game.”
Zidane is not wrong.
Get on our list for weekly sports business, industry trends, interviews, and more.
Prior to Messi’s arrival, the “get-in price” for Inter Miami’s home opener in 2023 was $7. Since the World Cup winner’s signing last summer, that number has significantly increased by 1,885% to now $139 as the get-in price.
On social media, the David Beckham-owned club has an impressive 16 million Instagram followers since last June and is now one of the most-followed U.S. sports franchises on that platform, surpassing all NFL, MLB, and NHL teams.
And to top it all off, within months of Messi starting for the team, Inter Miami won their first trophy: the 2023 League Cup.
In speaking to Boardroom, Zidane made it clear that to recruit a high caliber player like Messi to domestic football, you need a prolific leader to do so. He credits Beckham for his efforts in securing the game changing transfer. Because after all, who else but the Manchester United and Real Madrid legend could orchestrate such a blockbuster acquisition?
“David Beckham, as president, was able to have the opportunity to bring in Messi because he understands the demands of playing in Europe and the United States. Because in fact, MLS is a league that is very complicated, with playing we don’t often see in Europe. So actually, seeing Beckham and seeing Messi so involved in this league, it opens up an important perspective for the potential of MLS.”
And of course, Zidane knows Messi all too well.
As manager of Real Madrid for two very successful stints (2016-2018 and again from 2019-2021), Zidane was tasked with finding the game plan capable of stopping soccer’s undisputed GOAT.
The now 51-year-old succeeded at times, winning three LaLiga trophies, three Champions League titles, two UEFA Super Cup titles, and two FIFA Club World Cups.
Although he’s walked away from coaching (for now), Zidane is still plenty locked in to elevating the game, especially when it comes to to his yearslong partnership with the Three Stripes.
For 25 years, Zidane has been an Adidas ambassador, helping Three Stripes drop multiple iterations of the iconic Predator boot. With the highs and lows of his career making headlines, Zidane said he’s always had Adidas by his side, which certainly contributes to the longstanding relationship he has with the sportswear brand.
“It always means something to me to be able to represent Adidas at events after all these years,” the 1998 World Cup winner said from an Adidas event at the Super Bowl. “We always talk about athletes, we always talk about perfection, we always talk about performance. And that excites me to be able to show that today, across all sports, Adidas has incredible and successful athletes.”
Does a return to coaching either in the states or back in Europe at the club level look likely for Zizou? Or, could he finally make the jump to a national team? As we wait on bated breath for what’s next for Zidane, he promised that he intends to purse new opportunities, whatever those may be, and will keep doing what he loves.
“Well, it’s true that there is a little break there, but above all it’s about continuing with new opportunities. I love taking on new opportunities that interest me and if there is something that gets my attention, I want to be a part of it. Once I finish, I’ll start again on something else and win again.”
READ MORE
