The Messi Effect: How the Global Legend Changed the Future of American Soccer

by Paul Tenorio

In The Messi Effect, Paul Tenorio, national soccer writer for The Athletic, draws on coveted insider access to bring readers behind the ropes and into the inner sanctum and chronicle the last act of Lionel Messi.

In The Messi Effect, Paul Tenorio, national soccer writer for The Athletic, who has spent more than a decade breaking news and providing critical insight into the power and politics of the sport, draws on his numerous high-ranking sources inside Inter Miami, American soccer, and overseas to bring readers behind the scenes and chronicle the last act of Lionel Messi.

The Messi Effect takes you inside the locker room as Messi’s arrival turned a last-place team into a global phenomenon, and into the Major League Soccer boardroom as league owners debated how to leverage Messi’s arrival to shape the future of the league and sport in America. From his cinematic debut goal to his first trophy with Miami and across two more transformative seasons, Messi’s impact was immediate and enormous. His pink No. 10 shirt became the world’s best-selling jersey, MLS stadiums sold out in city after city, and Inter Miami’s valuation soared past $1 billion.

This is a book about one man's legacy in a rapidly growing and changing game. It's a story about the business of sport and how a player can be both athlete and economic engine. It’s an inside look at how the business of MLS evolved historically and in real time after the legend’s arrival. And it's the story of how a GOAT rides off into the sunset, the choices he makes, and the aftereffects of his greatness for future generations.

Genres: Sports, Nonfiction, Soccer, History, Biography, Biography Memoir, Audiobook

320 pages, Hardcover

Published June 2, 2026

Reviews

[Mai H. · Rating 3 out of 5]

FIFA World Cup 2026 #1

I'm not a huge Messi or Argentina fan. The first because I followed Real Madrid for years. The second for political reasons. Get into it if you want.

But there's no denying he's an international star with a hint of intrigue. A boy wonder at Barca with a growth deficiency, Messi defied the odds and won Argentina a World Cup. When he could've retired or moved onto a higher paying club (I'm looking at you, Ronaldo), he shifted and went to Inter Miami.

The MLS is known as a retirement league for stars that played in Europe. We know the MLS because David Beckham famously took a high paying gig at LA Galaxy. Or rather I know MLS because Victoria had a blonde bob at the time, was head to toe in Pepto Bismol pink, including her ostrich Birkin. Side note on Birkins, I have never seen more than at dinner at Javier's in Newport Beach.

But this isn't about Beckham. Or is it? Because it was his deal at LA Galaxy that led to him to part ownership of Inter Miami. And he knew it needed a star to shine. And that star had to be Messi. Messi famously doesn't like giving interviews in English. Hell, he rarely gives interviews. And Miami is the perfect spot for his family to feel comfortable with other Spanish speakers. His kids could play at the youth club. And like Beckham, he was offered part ownership in the club.

I digress. This book isn't just about Messi. It's about the rise of a team and the rise of the MLS as a whole, through a partnership with Apple TV.

I live in LA. I was thrilled with LAFC signed Son Heung-min. And Sonny famously said he signed that deal because he saw how Messi was thriving in Miami. And LA for Koreans is like Miami for Spanish speakers. If we're doing analogies.

We're nearly done with the World Cup that's being hosted on North American soil. Soccer popularity is at an all time high. And I hope it stays that way. I love championship soccer. I love going to LAFC and Angel City FC games. And maybe I'll use my Apple subscription to catch a few extra games.

📱 Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press

[Deanna (she_reads_truth_365) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I gladly accepted an ARC for the book, The Messi Effect. Lionel Messi is a phenomenal soccer player and won the World Cup four years ago with his home country team Argentina. To me, Messi is the Michael Jordan of soccer!

I enjoyed this book and thought the author did a great job of explaining the ins and outs surrounding Messi’s move to the United States. I appreciated learning new things I didn’t know before, which is an expectation I have when I read non-fiction.

I paired the digital ARC with an audiobook ARC as well. Narrator Andre Bellido is new to me but I thought he did a great job. . I listened at 1.75x speed.

Thank you to the publisher St. Martin’s Press books for the gifted ebook and Macmillan audio for the gifted audiobook. I appreciate the opportunity to preview this book. All opinions are my own.

[Andrew Bahl · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd say this book was 3.5 stars. I am a big fan of Paul Tenorio and he is one of the best MLS journalists in the business. And anyone who follows him knows that he has strong views on how the league should be growing. Those views become readily apparent in this book and are repeated ad nauseum over the 300 or so pages. That's ok if you're an MLS neophyte but it got a bit dull as a fan.

The lack of competing narratives also wore thin. The book extensively chronicles Messi and Inter Miami and their collective desire to push the league to grow. No problem — the insider access to key stakeholders inside Inter Miami is part of what makes the book so compelling. But it is accepted that their worldview is correct. When we hear from detractors it is clearly with the implication that they are in fact incorrect and holding the league back.

And yet Tenorio's eye for reporting and some interesting behind the scenes tidbits mean that I would still recommend this. All in all, there is a dearth of high quality books about MLS. This one isn't as good as Grant Wahl's The Beckham Experiment but Tenorio had less to work with given Messi's secretive MO. Overall, it is a worthy successor to Wahl's book and worth a read if you're interested in American soccer post World Cup.

[Adam Fabian · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is one of the most one-sided books I have ever read, state-media sponsored by Inter Miami and David Beckham and Jorge Mas.

Given the access Tenorio was given I suppose this shouldn’t be a surprise, but the central thesis is this: For MLS to be more popular, it needs to sign more Messi’s and do what Inter Miami wants.

But, as an MLS fan, there is a lot that is missed, including the role and impact of the MLS academy system and the players that have moved to Europe and now feature prominently for USMNT.

The other thing: it assumes that the fans are soccer fans and not Messi fans. But talk to a casual globally, and the fact is many if not most of his follows like HIM. When he moves, so does their fandom.

The focus on pro/rel and the Saudi league, without ever looking that alternative opinions on the topics - or other mitigating factors - makes this book redundant and uneven.

If you’re a soccer fan, save your time and skip this and pick up The Long Game instead. It gives a much more even look at soccer in the US and how it has changed over the past 60+ years in complete, balanced way.

If you like reading press releases, though, sure pick this up.

[Jeff K. · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars is probably more accurate but I rounded up. It was very interesting learning about how Messi ended up in Miami, the author had incredible access to all the people involved. The thought the topic of the MLS addressing how to capitalize on the Messi effect with urgency and "drive audience and have more fans", while interesting, became redundant chapter after chapter. If you're a soccer fan it is worth the read.

[Richard Derus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 4* of five

The Publisher Says: In The Messi Effect, Paul Tenorio, national soccer writer for The Athletic, who has spent more than a decade breaking news and providing critical insight into the power and politics of the sport, draws on his numerous high-ranking sources inside Inter Miami, American soccer, and overseas to bring readers behind the scenes and chronicle the last act of Lionel Messi.

The Messi Effect takes you inside the locker room as Messi’s arrival turned a last-place team into a global phenomenon, and into the Major League Soccer boardroom as league owners debated how to leverage Messi’s arrival to shape the future of the league and sport in America. From his cinematic debut goal to his first trophy with Miami and across two more transformative seasons, Messi’s impact was immediate and enormous. His pink No. 10 shirt became the world’s best-selling jersey, MLS stadiums sold out in city after city, and Inter Miami’s valuation soared past $1 billion.

This is a book about one man's legacy in a rapidly growing and changing game. It's a story about the business of sport and how a player can be both athlete and economic engine. It’s an inside look at how the business of MLS evolved historically and in real time after the legend’s arrival. And it's the story of how a GOAT rides off into the sunset, the choices he makes, and the aftereffects of his greatness for future generations.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY. THANK YOU.

My Review: At 39, Lionel Messi owns the World Cup scoring all-time record: 18 goals at the FIFA World Cup, the most by any player in the tournament's history. He's amassed his record over the course of six appearances; the sixth-place scorer with 13 all-time World Cup goals achieved twelve of those thirteen in one World Cup in 1958. We are, in other words, talking about the absolute pinnacle of the sport's possibilities.

Lionel Messi won't keep his record, most likely, as a 27-year-old Paris native called Mbappé is tied for fourth in this astoundingly talented pool of athletes with a long career ahead.

Bear in mind this data is being spouted by a midcentury-modern old queer guy who loves baseball since the 1969 Miracle Mets shat on the Orioles in game seven of the misnamed World Series, grew up in the fatherland of high-school football mania ( Friday Night Lights was a documentary, people), and eschews all television...and I still know this stuff. Soccer has come a very very long way in the US since 1994 when MLS was first organized after the first-ever US-hosted World Cup.

Author Tenorio traces the growth of the sport through the lens of Messi's career. As a huge media market, the US has been the Great White Whale of soccer forever. It's been the Messi years that have turbocharged the sport's rise here. Politics, logistics, demographics, marketing are all discussed by sports journalist Tenorio as he brings all the relevant developments and history together for future fans.

As with all human endeavors, the gigantic oceans of cash sloshing into the World Cup's governing body has led to breathtaking corruption and appalling capitulation to moneyed interests' importuningsfor more and more and more of a share in the pilf. There has never been another way for it to be, so of course it's what's happening now. (Eg, the water breaks making Fox/Disney very very very rich.) Author Tenorio doesn't gloss over greed. Messi's career as his lens means he's got a lot of time-relevant data about scandals galore. The FIFA Peace Prize, anyone?

A lovely gift for your newly minted soccer/football fan, one that will catch them up on why the US seems finally-at-last to be getting on the global sports train. I will not be dull, if this read is any indicator.

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

We are big Messi and Inter Miami fans in our house. In fact, though I was born and raised in Florida, we became Miami transplants the same year as Messi, so we feel a sort of special connection to him and the team in that way. We recently attended the inaugural game at Nu Stadium in Miami Freedom Park, and a couple years ago we attended a big “Messi Experience” interactive exhibit here in Miami which was really fun and well done. It’s an understatement to say that we, along with the rest of Miami, are proud of Messi and our home team!

I was excited to have the chance to listen to an early audio copy of this book. I was riveted the whole time and finished it in 24 hours. It was such an interesting behind-the-scenes look into both Inter Miami as well as the development of the MLS in the United States. In fact, I somehow didn’t realize that the catalyst for creating the MLS was the 1994 World Cup, hosted in the United States for the first time. My family and I actually attended one of those games in Orlando! How cool to have that connection.

Anyway, this book went into the history of the MLS, the global influences and implications, and how the MLS rules were made to keep the league safe from certain circumstances but also hurt itself in someways by doing so. It created many episodes of rule breaking or bending and, eventually, a need for an overhaul of the rules and systems. Of course, this book was also about Messi and how he, personally, impacted the course of the MLS across the country since 2023 and what the league’s hopes are for the future of the sport here. I learned so much about both the politics and logistics that went into the development this league.

While were may interesting tidbits of information throughout the book which would be interesting to anyone who has just a tangential interest in the phenomenon of Messi and the MLS, this book is also a succinct and poignant history for any fan of soccer, MLS or any other worldwide team, since they have so many interconnecting factors.

My only critique or feedback would be - while I see the poetry of ending the book at the culmination of the MLS Cup in December 2025 - knowing that Inter Miami’s own stadium was opening in April 2026 at Miami Freedom Park, and with this book being published in June 2026, I feel it would have been worth going a little more into that than the book did - just how celebratory this event was and what a big deal it is for Inter Miami and the city of Miami itself.

But this was a great read! I’ll be pre-ordering a copy for my husband for Father’s Day. Even though he’s not a big reader, I think he’ll really enjoy this. And I also plan to get a copy for my mom who is the OG soccer fan of my family and, even though she follows international leagues more than the MLS, is sure to still find this to be an interesting and relevant read!

[Paige · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for the ARC!

This is a very interesting book and definitely not what I expected. With the World Cup about to kick off, the timing of its release is perfect. Going in, I expected the narrative to focus heavily on Lionel Messi and his massive influence on Inter Miami. While it does cover that, the book actually spends a lot of time diving into the marketing aspects, financials, and overall rationale behind why Major League Soccer is structured the way it is. I really enjoyed the deep dive into American fan culture, comparing it to other leagues, and examining why so many fans pledge their loyalty to overseas clubs rather than their local teams.

However, some sections became a bit dull and repetitive. The author very clearly does not support how MLS operates, which is obvious throughout the entirety of the book. At a certain point, it feels a bit like, "Okay, we get it—MLS doesn't know what they're doing and needs some serious outside perspective." Having that point continuously drilled into the narrative became a lot to handle. Messi content makes up about half the book, while the other 50% focuses on the sales and marketing side of the league. I did get sick of the “left foot” and “no. 10” being used repetitively. Fortunately, there are some cool stories mixed in and a few fun *Ted Lasso* references, so I did appreciate the diversity of what was shared.

I did run into a few nitpicks. First, one point felt factually off: the author claims Messi was confused by the concept of salary caps because nowhere else in the world uses them. That feels poorly phrased, especially since we all know Messi couldn't return to Barcelona specifically due to La Liga's economic controls and spending limits. I think the author was trying to reference the unique American style of overall team budgets and roster constraints, but it could have been stated much more accurately. On a positive note, I found the explanation of Designated Players interesting, which was a helpful breakdown for me since I primarily follow European soccer. Another minor irritation was a
typo where the author spelled "dietitian" incorrectly with a "c"—something that definitely needs to be fixed.

Overall, this is a good, highly insightful read that teaches you a lot about the inner workings of MLS and highlights some classic American organizational inefficiencies. While I don't know the exact timeline of when it was written, it already feels like there are more modern updates and league changes that could be shared. It would be incredibly interesting to see a revised edition down the road to see how the author folds the aftermath of the World Cup into the ongoing development of MLS.

[Lance · Rating 5 out of 5]

When a global superstar in soccer decides to play for a team in the United States, it makes for a seismic reaction from soccer fans across the world and provides American soccer a lot of publicity. Three examples of this are when Pele arrived to play for the New York Cosmos in 1975, David Beckham arriving from England to play for the LA Galaxy in 2007 and Lionel Messi’s signing with Inter Miami in 2023. The latter of these events is covered in this book by Paul Tenorio.

It should be noted that this book’s primary focus is not Messi himself but the business of Major League Soccer (MLS), the highest level of professional soccer in the United States. The “Messi Effect” is how his presence in MLS would affect the growth, quality of play, popularity and progression of MLS. The league has taken slow but mostly steady growth since its near bankruptcy in 2001. There was a noted increase in many of these items when Beckham joined, a fact Tenorio notes often.

However, the connection between the two superstars of different eras is much tighter than that. After his playing days were over, Beckham became one of the owners of the Inter Miami expansion team, thereby becoming Messi’s employer. Why Messi decided to join Inter Miami is told in excellent detail early in the book by Tenorio and he does just as fine a job with his explanations of the inner workings of MLS ownership.

Tenorio notes how the principal owner of Inter Miami, Jorge Mas, is a visionary and forward thinker as Mas wants the league to use the power of Messi’s popularity to grow the league’s international status. As a whole, ownership of MLS has always had a conservative view of growth and favored competitive balance, a formula what was working for the NFL. Tenorio paints a terrific picture of these owners and how their actions were holding back the size of growth for the league. There are changes coming that he points out, but they may be too late to complement the exposure the league is getting from Messi and the 2026 World Cup coming to North America.

I bring all these up because this is a fantastic look at not only Messi’s arrival and on-field performance but MLS as a whole – from its beginnings to its upcoming changes on the schedule and rosters. Any fan of MLS or soccer in general will want to add this one to their library.

I wish to thank St. Martin’s Press for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own.

https://sportsbookguy.blogspot.com/20...

[G Flores · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't care about Messi. He is probably the single greatest soccer player of all time and that is very boring to me. BUT, with the World Cup around the corner, it's hard not to want to read every soccer book that comes out, especially one written by the inestimable Paul Tenorio. His street cred as a long-time reporter covering North America's domestic league, Major League Soccer (MLS) was what convinced me to read a book about Messi for the first time in my life and I was not disappointed. Some people will be.

Think of this as a spiritual sequel to the late Grant Wahl's The Beckham Experiment because in many ways it's hard not to. After all, Messi's arrival in MLS is a direct result of the deal the league brokered with Beckham to get him to sign with the LA Galaxy in 2007. As a result, the narrative follows MLS's signing of Lionel Messi, his accomplishments thus far in the league, and the ways in which MLS has capitalized on his star power, failed to capitalize on his star power, and the continuing opportunities to capitalize on his star power going forward.

This is why some people will be disappointed: the narrative is about Messi's impact on the future of American soccer and not about Messi himself. If you're looking for his biography or a bunch of inside stories about his time at FC Barcelona, you won't get it here. Don't get me wrong, there is plenty of Messi to be had in this book, but it is all about his time at Inter Miami CF.

When we're not talking about Messi himself, we're talking about a lot of MLS's wheelings and dealings, and Tenorio makes it damned entertaining. The man's definitely put in his 10,000 hours in reporting and storytelling because his ability to dart back and forth between Messi anecdotes, MLS backroom shenanigans, and stories about the various other players, coaches and staff involved really kept me engaged the entire time. I even came away liking Messi a bit more.

Bottom line is, this is an excellent book. The story of American soccer and MLS is a classic American underdog story that continues to provide its fans with high highs and tough lows. If you're interested in learning a bit about who this Messi fella is and why you should care in the run up to the World Cup, you will have a great time. If what you want is ~300 pages of Messi gossip, you'll have to read something else.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lionel Messi's impact on the 2026 World Cup has been impossible to miss over the past month. Paul Tenorio's The Messi Effect is the much less widely known story of Messi's first few years in the MLS and the influence of his arrival on the future of soccer in the United States.

The Messi Effect would be a strong recommend even if it were only a behind-the-scenes tick tock of Messi's arrival in Major League Soccer for all of the great stories included in the book. But Tenorio takes a broader lens, making a passionate and compelling argument that MLS is missing the unique opportunity of Messi's arrival and the recent spate of international tournaments held in the United States to push the league into a new phase of sustained growth. Tenorio traces the recent explosion in soccer interest and viewing in the U.S., what it will take for the MLS to capture more of that TV audience and compete with some of the more successful leagues in the world, and why the decisions the league has made are holding it back.

From Ted Lasso and Welcome to Wrexham to the Premier League and Liga MX to the WNBA and NWLS, The Messi Effect cuts across the sports landscape in the U.S. and will give you a better appreciation for not only the challenge facing the MLS but all of the global properties chasing sports fans' attention. And while Tenorio clearly knows his stuff, the Messi Effect is super readable without a PhD in MLS roster rules, knowing GAM from TAM, or being able to identify a Homegrown player; The Messi Effect is a book anyone will enjoy.

Must read for any fan of Messi, soccer in the U.S., or the business of sport generally.

[John Schorg · Rating 3 out of 5]

The quandary of making American soccer a bigger sport isn't a new one... it has stretched back as far as Pele's time with the New York Cosmos and the crash and burn of the North American Soccer League.

This book chronicles the latest attempt: the arrival of Lionel Messi to Inter Miami, and the dilemmas facing the officials trying to make Major League Soccer a bigger player both in the US and abroad.

The dilemma seems to focus on whether MLS should move more quickly and spend more money to encourage drawing bigger international stars to this country or take a more measured approach that slowly builds the sport.

To me, the problem is more that MLS hasn't done a good enough of developing more homegrown talent. Watching matches here doesn't hold a candle to what you can see any weekend in the English Premier League.

While this book does draw the lines of dispute, it does it repetitively. There's a lot of rehashing that reminds you of stuff you just read a few pages earlier, and the same cast of characters are introduced over and over again. The greatest soccer writer in this country remains the late, great Grant Wahl.

[Reneta · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like soccer. I like watching talented men play soccer with their soft touches and accurate passes. And I have followed Messi many years so this book cover had me totally excited to read the book. It is a good book, but the focus is on the corporate organization for USA soccer, MLS, and how they failed to take action when Inter Miami coach changed course, sought, and won - the coach had a goal to get Lionel Messi play for them, a US based team. There would be tons of ripples effect from this wonderful union, thus it was coined The Messi Effect. It’s no secret that Messi was a player to watch and US stadiums would fill up when he played. The MLS org still has time, hopefully, to alter their course to take advantage of Messi playing for a US team, but I agree with the author that, for the most part, MLS org has lost the synergy in utilizing Messi’s time on the pitch, nor morphing into a better organization using the 2026World Cup in the Americas. So much synergy lost with inaction by the MLS. Kudos to the author for being fact-based and giving us a glimpse into why the US Men’s Soccer orgs cannot compete on a global level….yet.

[Greg Bobak · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's been a ton of material written about Lionel Messi and his countless achievements, and this book works because - as the title suggests - this isn't about Messi himself so much as his effect on American soccer following his signing with Inter Miami. Messi and his titanic reputation loom over every chapter, but the main characters here are people like MLS commissioner Don Garber and Inter Miami owner Jorge Mas. We are given a fascinating look behind the curtain of a major sports league, as Tenorio guides us through the intricacies of league structure and player contracts with a pacy narrative and impressive reporting, never letting the subject matter become too technical or dry. We see how MLS compares to other, more successful leagues, and learn exactly why it's so different and why its leadership has been so cautious about major change. The Messi Effect is a fast, entertaining, and intriguing read, and a must for anyone interested in the business of soccer or the future of the sport in the USA.

[Luis Cuesta · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book as a Goodreads giveaway. Paul Tenorio's primary focus is not Messi himself but the business of Major League Soccer (MLS), the highest level of professional soccer in the United States. The “Messi Effect” is how his presence in MLS would affect the growth, quality of play, popularity and progression of MLS. The league has taken slow but mostly steady growth since its near bankruptcy in 2001. In addition to leading Inter Miami to its first-ever MLS Cup victory in 2025, Messi brought commercial success to the team and MLS as a whole, increasing viewership, sponsorship revenue, and retail sales.
Tenorio expertly weaves business reportage with a rousing narrative of Messi’s role in validating the MLS as a global competitor. This is a book about the business of sport and how a player can be both athlete and economic engine and it will certainly entertain soccer fans.

[Justin Bitner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many thanks to NetGalley for the eARC.

Solid look into the inner workings of the deal that brought Messi to Major League Soccer (MLS) and the ways that the powers that be in the league are trying to maximize the impact he has during and after his time on the field.

This book isn't as much about Messi per se as it is about the different people and factors that operate around him.

I find the behind the scenes stuff of MLS to be fascinating, and there's certainly parallels to the late Grant Wahl's "The Beckham Experiment" here, which is mentioned a few times in the book.

Would love to read a sequel to this once Messi's career is done to see how a lot of these things turned out.

[Leah Hortin · Rating 2 out of 5]

This missed the mark. Overall, its theme is about the changes MLS has been experiencing over the past decade plus. And actually, very little can be attributed to Messi... yet. We'll see if he actually ends up having an impact but as of right now, Beckham had a bigger impact as a player than Messi. Highlighting Messi seems like a cash grab on his coat tails. The books also was non-linear in format. The subject matter was interesting for those that remotely care about soccer, but the structure really watered it down. It read like a series of articles and/or essays that Tenorio lazily adapted to try to fit his thesis and failed miserably. He would have done better to title the book on how MLS is evolving and use Beckham and Messi on the subtitle but that wouldn't sell as much now would it?

[Isabelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m probably not the target audience for this book since I’m not a huge soccer fan.

I learned a lot about American soccer while reading this book, but I found there was a lot of repetition, sometimes too many details and sometimes not enough, and that it was hard to keep track of all the dates.

In short, it’s all about money and regulations, slowness and resistance to implementing changes…

The Messi Effect? I’d call it the Beckham-Messi Effect… especially when the discussion revolves around Messi, even though he’s only a secondary character in the story.

I enjoyed reading it, but only in small doses. Very (too) technical for a beginner like me!

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the perspective that this book gave because I have a Sports Management degree and have only really ever used it in the running world. So to read about the workings & struggles behind the MLS & the global influences (Messi and others) have had on professional soccer in general. It really goes into depth about how the principal owner of Inter Miami, Jorge Mas, really pushed for different ways to grow the MLS and proves that by using popularity of Messi that the league can indeed grow in a way that MLS has been struggling.
Instantly I could tell that Tenorio was a journalist by the way everything researched and written which made it sound so official in many aspects.

[Living My Best Book Life · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you enjoy soccer and are a fan of Lionel Messi, then you will enjoy this book. The author takes you on a behind the scenes look at Messi making his transition to the US and joining Inter Miami. It also takes a look at how the move set him up for a life beyond playing and how David Beckham's contract paved the way for this type of deal to even happen.
I enjoyed getting to read about how Messi really wanted a sense of normalcy with this big decision. He didn't come in wanting to be the center of attention, he just wanted to be a teammate and play the sport in which he has mastered
Highly recommend this read for sports lovers/ enthusiasts!

[Lydia Wagner · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Messi Effect was a great listen during the World Cup, with Tenorio taking you from the locker room to the MLS boardroom in a way that feels both accessible and well-reported. That said, I'll admit I've lost interest in Messi himself. There are so many more interesting players out there, and Argentina can feel like a bully of a team. Where this book really shines is in pulling back the curtain on MLS, how the league embraced and at times squandered a crucial opportunity for its growth. I'm rooting hard for the league and came away even more invested in its future. A great read ahead of the World Cup for any soccer fan, Messi devotee or not.

[Cameron Bouras · Rating 5 out of 5]

I watch a lot of soccer. A ton of premier league and a little MLS. This book taught me so much in regard to MLS and a little on how premier league became so big here. I honestly had no idea that the 1994 World Cup being hosted here was what really triggered the MLS. The MLS has so much to do to truly compete with the other soccer leagues. This book really highlights where they struggle and the changes that need to happen. If you’re a soccer fan, I really recommend reading this. Especially if you watch MLS. Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

[Kenny Kemper · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone that doesn’t know much on the business side of soccer this book was very educational. Learning about the MLS and their journey to raise the level on the world stage. Then adding in bringing one of the best if not the best player to an MLS club that was the worst in the league and how that changed not just that team but the entire MLS. If you want to know more about soccer or MLS or just interested in a good non fiction check this one out. Thank you to @netgalley and @macmillan.audio for the ALC! #TheMessiEffect #NetGalley

[JasonDeen]

Many experienced fans are pondering the Messi phenomenon. It seems to me that he's the only footballer who doesn't consider himself a celebrity. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to see a little bit of the underbelly of professional football. It might be useful if you use 1xBet Canada sportsbook and casino. I enjoy making sports predictions based on my analysis of the situation.

[Kyle Foley · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5

This is so much more than a Messi book, it's about how MLS hasn't moved quickly enough to capitalize on momentum and help the league reach the next level of it's growth. I'm a huge fan of Paul's writing, and have been since he was back with the Orlando Sentinel in the early days of Orlando City. This is Paul at his best. It will be interesting to come back to this in 10 years and see what the league does.

[Rishi Chopra · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an engaged soccer fan out of the loop on MLS, this is exactly what I wanted. That is, answers to the questions “Why is MLS like this?” and “What are they going to do now?” Its greatest strength, though, is the rhythm and momentum in the storytelling. It’s clear and brisk, laying out the stakes and weaving in the necessary context without getting bogged down. Some really excellent reporting as well.

[AmyNsReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a perfect read in time for World Cup games! I’m not a huge soccer person, but this was very enlightening. Explaining some of the things I had been wondering about why US soccer just isn’t at the same level as other leaks. It’s a fascinating backstage look at the league the people that lead it, the influence that Messi has on this game, and hopefully the changes to come! Definitely worth the read!

[Becky Rosas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book. If you want to learn and understand MLS and indeed the impact of Lionel Messi this is the book for you. As a novice who learned most of what I know from watching Ted Lasso and reading about David Beckham, this book adds a world of depth and detail about MLS. It was easy to read and kept me interested all the way through. Having read books about the NFL, I can honestly say this gets MLS. A great read

[Tara Cignarella · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Messi Effect by Paul Tenorio
Book #67
4 Stars (-- Amazon 4.33 Goodreads)
Release Date 6/3/26
80,000 Words
Sports
Ebook from NetGalley
#whiskersandwordsbookreview #onesentencereview #messi #netgalley



------ This is an interesting sports book with lots of information and well written, it’s long though and I am not a big enough soccer/football fan for that.

W

[Javierthearcnovice · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Messi Effect is a fascinating eye opener into the world of soccer. I had no idea who Lionel Messi was before reading this book. Sure, I heard his name but knew nothing about him or his contributions to the world of soccer. I absolutely loved this book. The author did a great job writing this and I can tell that much research was done.