With the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup set to kick off in less than five months, Inter Miami star Lionel Messi delivered an important message to MLS regarding the clubs participating in the competition.
Following the 2024 Copa America, the USA will host another major international soccer event: the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. Set to kick off on June 14th, the competition will feature teams from around the globe, including two MLS clubs: Inter Miami and Seattle Sounders. In light of this unique opportunity, Inter Miami star Lionel Messi shared an important message for the MLS regarding the competition’s significance.
As the first edition of the revamped FIFA Club World Cup, which will be held in the USA, the tournament marks a major milestone for American soccer. In an interview with Zane Lowe for Apple Music, Messi emphasized the importance of the competition for both the league and the clubs involved.
“I think it is very important for the club, especially, to participate in the first World Cup that will take place in the country and for the MLS to have two teams is a wonderful thing. Like I said, everything that’s happening creates an opportunity for MLS to keep growing in soccer, as a league, and for other players to have the opportunity to come and keep growing,” the Argentine forward said.
Messi then called on the MLS to seize this moment to further establish itself in the global soccer landscape: “I think soccer is different than the other sports Americans are used to watching in the US, and I think it should be managed differently because it’s a different sport and this is an opportunity to change the chip, to shift, and for MLS to continue maturing.”
The 2025 edition of the FIFA Club World Cup will run from June 14th to July 13th, with matches hosted across 10 different states. Messi believes this is the perfect moment for MLS to take the next step and show the world what American soccer is truly capable of.
Inter Miami and Seattle Sounders’ rivals
Representing the USA in the tournament are Inter Miami and Seattle Sounders. Seattle qualified by winning the 2023 CONCACAF Champions League, while Inter Miami secured their spot as hosts after winning the 2024 MLS Supporters Shield.
In the group stage, Inter Miami is placed in Group A alongside Palmeiras, Porto, and Al Ahly. Messi and his teammates will open their campaign against the African side, hoping to start their journey toward another title.
Meanwhile, Seattle Sounders face a tough challenge in Group B, where they’ll compete against Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, and Botafogo. With two European powerhouses in their group, the Sounders will begin their tournament against the Brazilian side, aiming to make a statement as the underdogs of the competition.
