Celebrities go gaga over Lionel Messi's MLS games

Inter Miami's general director, Xavier Asensi, has revealed that celebrity interest in watching Lionel Messi play in the MLS has gone "crazy."

As per Goal, Asensi said A-list stars like Usain Bolt, LeBron James, Kim Kardashian, Will Smith, and Serena Williams have been among the notable attendees at Messi's matches, with more iconic guests expected in the future.

Speaking to the EFE news agency about interest from celebrities outside the soccer world, Asensi remarked, "The level of requests that come in is really crazy. Usain Bolt has come more than once, it was impressive.

He further added, "From LeBron James to everything that has happened here. He is fascinating and, at the same time, a source of pride. It is wonderful to be able to experience it first hand again."

However, Inter Miami's acquisition of Messi has proven to be a financial game-changer for the club, with merchandise and ticket sales reaching unprecedented levels.

Asensi said, "With the arrival of Messi, we have gone from having a budget of earning just over 60 million to ending up billing around 125 or 130. This year I hope we will start billing around 200 million dollars, or more."

Moreover, Messi’s magical performances this season have helped Inter Miami reach the top of the MLS Eastern Conference by scoring a goal and hitting five assists against New York Red Bulls on Sunday.