10 - Lionel Messi - v3

[Chong Li]

I guess the AFA will get less money if he's not playing, so there's only a very slim chance he'll return now.

Let's just hope it's nothing serious.

 

[NotInHere]

its probably nothing serious hence why he is still there

 

[Mitchell1978]

He had a knock, no injury, they're just being cautious i guess. But still no need to play meaningfull friendlies.

 

[Paganinisrvnge]

Most Americans probably don't know who he is. For those that have heard of his name, they probably don't know what he looks like.

America is their own world, hence NFL champions = World Champions

This isn't the 90s. There's a lot of people who know who Messi is here. Association football has grown exponentially in the past decade.

 

[KingMessi]

Most Americans probably don't know who he is. For those that have heard of his name, they probably don't know what he looks like.

America is their own world, hence NFL champions = World Champions

NFL is the best American Football league in the world though. So might as well be World Champions. And you'd be surprised to how many people know and actively follow association football here.

 

[King Leo]

This isn't the 90s. There's a lot of people who know who Messi is here. Association football has grown exponentially in the past decade.

The game is getting bigger in North America. Over 2 million Americans tuned in to watch the Classico. Before you jump and tell me those were mostly Latinos the answer is yes HOWEVER the number of BeIN English viewers that watch the Classico increased %16 since last year.

Wait until the Copa is played in the US summer 2016.

 

[Luftstalag14]

NFL is the best American Football league in the world though. So might as well be World Champions. And you'd be surprised to how many people know and actively follow association football here.

But still, a sport without representation from anywhere else in the world, not even Canada, can hardly justify a title called world champions. It is like a bunch of domestic Chinese teams competing in pingpong or badminton and call the winner world champions. At least MLB has Canadian teams, but still a huge stretch.

Yeah, I know football's popularity is growing in the US, but compared to the rest of the world where football is supreme (for the most part, with some exceptions of course), football in America is what, No. 5?

By the way, is there still NFL Europe nowadays?

 

[lessthanjake]

Not heard of Messi!? Sorry, can't accept that. I and the rest of the world knew who Jordan was in the 90's. Leo is much bigger.
Shame on you US!

To be fair, Michael Jordan was simply a bigger brand than Lionel Messi. People become known worldwide more based on their use in advertising and such than by how good they are (though there is often a high correlation between the two). That's why David Beckham is probably the most recognizable football player in the world despite having never been the best player. Messi is certainly in ads and stuff, of course, but he is nothing like the advertising juggernaut that Michael Jordan was.

 

[FCBarca]

Even when I was wearing my #19 Mess I shirt back in '05 in the US, people knew who he was

 

[Kohe321]

So, anymore news about Messis toe?

Is he training normally with the squad?

 

[Antimadridista1]

When is he playing ?

 

[Kohe321]

Tomorrow against El Salvador at 21:30 Barcelona time.

 

[Gasgas]

Let him rest. How is he gonna chip or lob the ball without his toe?

 

[Flavia]

I think we were very fortunate that the Neymar tax fraude case happened, really. Had rosell not resigned, I don't think Messi would still be here.

 

[FCBarca]

I think we were very fortunate that the Neymar tax fraude case happened, really. Had rosell not resigned, I don't think Messi would still be here.

There's a laundry list of things to be thankful for now that Rosell is in the wind...and hopefully soon behind bars