After Inter Miami was granted special permission to purchase a third uniform by Major League Soccer, the effects of Lionel Messi’s historic transfer to the team were revealed. When the team’s jersey sales exceeded 100,000, the Herons were given the unique chance to create a second changing strip.
The American audience responded to the Argentine superstar’s spectacular entrance in the country in 2023 in a way never seen before. During his travels with his new team, Messi not only received a national reception that is often reserved for rock stars, but jerseys with his name on them also sold astronomically well.
In the US, shirts featuring the World Cup winner’s recognizable No. 10 quickly became a must-have fashion accessory as both celebrities and sports fans descended upon the stadium to witness the renowned forward play. Renowned figures like Kim Kardashian, Selena Gomez, and LeBron James saw him play during his first few months at DRV PNK Stadium.
The remarkable consequences of “Messi mania” are already evident, as the MLS has allowed Inter Miami to create a unique new strip for 2024. The Miami Dolphins, an NFL franchise, will be honored in the kit’s color design, according to Footy Headlines.
With this apparent homage to the illustrious two-time Super Bowl winners, David Beckham’s MLS team might find success outside of football. The privilege of having a third uniform for the upcoming season will also be extended to fellow MLS teams LAFC, LA Galaxy, Kansas City, and Portland Timbers.
Famously, the Dolphins play in turquoise with orange and white piping, which is a striking contrast to Vice City’s typical pale pink strip. Nevertheless, a uniform that honors a different genuine Florida sporting tradition more overtly can be popular both domestically and abroad.
The accomplishment of selling more than 100,000 shirts illustrates the cultural influence of Messi’s arrival in the US in less than half a year. After Tom Brady switched to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020, sales of the Herons’ well-known pale pink shirts broke previous records.
In addition, Tor Southard, senior director of Adidas’ football division, told the New York Times that orders surpassed 500,000 following Messi’s summertime announcement of his transfer to Miami. This number is greater than what Arsenal, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, and Manchester United all accomplished over the same time frame.
Furthermore, Miami shirts were well-received by customers in terms of fashion, as Vogue Magazine listed the jerseys as one of the year’s must-have items. They conceded that Messi’s distinct star power is demonstrated by the persistent demand to own jerseys with his name on them.
“Immediately following the Messi announcement, the generic Inter Miami jersey, in an unexpected shade of un-Barbie pink, sold out, giving rise to a rich bootleg industry,” Vogue noted in explaining their decision. Almost five months later, most sizes of the official Messi jersey—which features his number 10—remain on the Adidas website’s waitlist.
