There are always fascinating parallels made when great foreign football stars visit the United States, especially when it comes to icons like Pelé and Messi. The circumstances behind their various entrances into the American soccer scene, however, could not be more dissimilar.
Unlike Pelé, who came to the United States in the 1970s in an attempt to rekindle interest in soccer, Messi is an established star in Major League Soccer (MLS). The North American Soccer League (NASL) side that welcomed Pelé, the Cosmos, was on the verge of oblivion when he arrived, giving the club a boost and ushering in a new era for American soccer.
On the other side, Messi is moving on to Inter Miami, a young team that is still trying to find its place in the competitive MLS environment. While Messi’s Inter Miami is attempting to establish its own legacy on a pitch that is already more favourable to football than it was when Pelé first arrived, Pelé’s Cosmos are revered as an emblem of American soccer’s past and have earned legend status.
Along with the variations in the sporting environments, the athletes’ individual styles also stand out. Pelé had particular difficulties and helped make soccer more well-known to a group of people who were unfamiliar with the sport by adapting to improvised playing fields, including ones that were painted to hide their flaws. Messi, on the other hand, appears to be joining an already established scene given his well-received debut and rich deal.
It is important to acknowledge the significant influence these legendary soccer players had at pivotal points in the growth of the sport in the United States. It’s as important to recognise that their experiences in the USA were formed by unique set of circumstances. While Pelé represented the possibility of a comeback, Messi represents a time of consolidation and unceasing growth. This makes a comprehensive understanding of the complexities of the setting in which each of them left its irrevocable mark necessary when comparing them.