Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami Jersey Outsold Real Madrid and Manchester United Jerseys in 2023

• Lionel Messi joined Inter Miami in July after leaving Paris Saint-Germain
• The Argentine made an instant impact on the club on and off the pitch
• His merchandise sales outsold top European clubs kitted by Adidas

Lionel Messi is football’s most influential personality in 2023 and Inter Miami’s greatest asset on and off the pitch after joining the Major League Soccer side in July.

Messi decided against extending his Paris Saint-Germain contract after two years at the club. He had many options but chose to move to the United States with Inter Miami.

His former club, Barcelona, was also an option but was ruled out due to financial issues, while he turned down a world-record salary offer from Al-Hilal.

Per Goal, former director Paolo Maldini disclosed that AC Milan attempted to sign the World Cup winner, but it was too late, and he had decided to move to Miami.

Leon Goretzka trolls Bayern Munich teammate Thomas Muller's broken phone

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Messi’s jerseys outsold top European clubs

One of the effects of Messi’s arrival in Miami was felt in merchandise sales as the demand for jerseys with his name at the back skyrocketed, and Adidas struggled to keep up.

Per New York Times, senior director at Adidas, Tor Southard, confirmed Messi’s jerseys became the number 1 priority globally, and the company had to outsource production.

In North America, the Heron’s jersey became the number 1 merchandise ahead of top European clubs – Real Madrid, Juventus, Manchester United and other clubs the company produced for.

In Europe, the jersey which you would ordinarily not see in stores challenged the tribal affiliations for European heavyweight jerseys, accounting for more than half.

Vogue named ‘Messi 10’ jerseys in their list of 15 fashion items that defined 2023. The landmark sales have prompted Adidas to produce a third strip for Miami and other MLS clubs that sold over 100,000 units in 2023.

Lionel Messi: Argentina captain’s match won World Cup jerseys sold for $7.8m at auction

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Messi’s World Cup jerseys sold at auction

Sports Brief reported on six of seven Lionel Messi’s World Cup jerseys sold at auction for $7.8m at a New York auction house, Sotheby’s.

The only missing jersey was the one he wore at the final group-stage game against Poland. The proceeds from the sales will go into payments of hospital bills at a hospital in Barcelona.