Lionel Messi is set to kick off the MLS season with Inter Miami on February 22 against New York City FC.
What happened?
On February 9, Apple TV launched a post-Super Bowl ad featuring Lionel Messi, reminding fans that the soccer season is about to begin.
Why it matters for Lionel Messi
The ad showcases Messi's skills, dribbling an American football like a soccer ball, before kicking it through a goal post with the catchphrase: “When football ends, fútbol begins.”
Lionel Messi attended Super Bowl 59 in New Orleans, watching the Philadelphia Eagles dismantle the Kansas City Chiefs.
What comes next?
The MLS season begins on February 22, with all games available on MLS Season Pass from Apple TV.
Lionel Messi's newest Inter Miami jersey, a two-toned pink home kit nicknamed Euforia, was prominent in the promotional video.
The jersey celebrates Inter Miami's continued rise in Major League Soccer and the international stage.
It will be worn for the 2025 and 2026 seasons, and will be available for purchase on February 12.
Lionel Messi had the league's top-selling jersey in 2023 and 2024, and continues to rank No. 1 globally for adidas in jersey sales of individual players.
Inter Miami's retro-inspired third kit was the fastest-selling jersey in league history, recording the most sales in the first day, week, and month of any newly launched jersey in MLSstore.com history.
Lionel Messi, 37, won MLS MVP after helping Inter Miami win the Supporters' Shield and set the league record for most regular season points (74) last year.
The team plans to open a new stadium, Miami Freedom Park, in 2026.
Lionel Messi and Inter Miami will compete in the FIFA Club World Cup this summer, among several tournaments during the 2025 MLS season.