If you don’t know the name Lionel Messi—one of the greatest soccer players of all time, coming out of Argentina and currently playing for France’s Paris-St-Germain Club—get ready because this famous star is about to start playing here in the U.S. for the Inter Miami team. According to a KNPR story, tickets to see Inter Miami play in mid-July jumped from a typical $20 to $530—everyone wants to see Messi! And starting next year, you can learn his extraordinary story and have a great entertainment experience with the immersive journey, "The Messi Experience, A Dream Come True." It will open early next year and be shown on every continent during the following few years.
What happens in this immersive experience?
It’s an interactive multimedia spectacle that lets you see Messi’s life, starting from his youth in Argentina and his playing for years with Barcelona, tracking his ascent to becoming a sports legend despite being born with a hormone growth deficiency. Cheer him on as he lifts the 2022 World Cup trophy for Argentina! Plus, you get to “play”: there will be digital on-ball activities with live score updates. Best of all, there’s personal virtual engagement with Messi himself.
How great is Messi?
Diego Maradona considered Messi at age 18 the best player in the world along with (then 25-year-old) Brazilian Ronaldinho Gaúcho, telling BBC Sport that “I have seen the player that will inherit my place in Argentinian football and his name is Messi.”
Who’s producing it?
The U.S.-based Primo Entertainment, in co-creation with Canadian-based Moment Factory.
What does Messi have to say about it?
"I am very happy to be part of this project that allows fans to get closer to my journey on and off the field. Throughout my career, I have always strived to inspire and connect with people through my passion for football. This experience will offer a unique opportunity to relive the most memorable moments and feel the emotions that have shaped my path," he says, according to a press release about the experience.
Any fun nicknames?
He goes by Leo instead of Lionel sometimes—and yes, he was supposedly named after Lionel Richie. Hello! It was him we were looking for. And because of his small stature due to his growth hormone deficiency paired with his incredible strength, he has been known as the La Pulga Atomica: the atomic flea. Others call him the Messiah, riffing on his last name.
Tell us more about him coming to Miami.
This fun Florida city has a large population of Argentinian folks (although the stadium is actually based in Fort Lauderdale), so he’ll be right at home. He turned down a $400m deal to play for Saudi Arabia, and some wager that the Miami deal offered less money but a chance to be closer to Argentina. Moreover, by turning down Saudi Arabia, he’ll avoid the backlash that arose when he was named its tourism ambassador in 2022, earning him bad will given the nation’s terrible human rights record—and the backlash and fine he received from an unsanctioned trip there last month.
Which cities will get the experience?
To learn which cities will get the 75-minute immersive experience and to register, click here.