Messi Skipped Houston and Sparked a Local Fan Revolt

Fans paid triple the price for a chance to see Leo play.

Dennis Bergkamp made history not only as an outstanding forward but also as a victim of aerophobia. That’s how he earned the nickname "The Non-Flying Dutchman" — his fear of flying caused him to miss dozens of Arsenal’s away games.

Messi might be heading in a similar direction, as skipping Inter Miami’s away trips has practically become a habit. His reason, however, is different — an acute need for rest. For a long time, American soccer fans struggled to connect the dots until a sudden flash of deduction hit their bright overseas minds.

Ticket prices helped them figure it out. Local club supporters were paying triple just for the chance to witness the Messi show. And “show” is the key word here — naturally, most of Inter Miami’s away revenue comes from Leo.

Vancouver fans were the first to grumble after paying over $200 to watch a game featuring Campana, Taylor, Gressel, and other unsung heroes of David Beckham’s project — players overshadowed by their superstar teammates.

But the real revolt came from Houston Dynamo supporters, whose team faced Miami on March 2. The first wave of anger flooded social media days before the match — for an obvious reason. Though, in some ways, they were luckier — Suárez, Busquets, and the rest of the ex-Barcelona crew did make the trip to the space capital of the U.S.

Dynamo’s management tried to smooth over Messi’s absence by offering free tickets to the team’s next home match. The only catch? That game was against Real Salt Lake — not exactly Real Madrid. The club’s logic here is questionable — should they really compensate fans who only care about Messi, an audience that isn’t even part of their core fanbase?

Of course, loyal Houston fans were likely disappointed too. Some may have saved up all winter for this match — only to watch Suárez put up a 1+3 (goal + assist) masterclass while crushing their team. But those fans will probably stick around and continue filling their modest 22,000-seat Texas stadium.

Criticism of Inter Miami and Messi is understandable — but mostly on an emotional level. There’s no real reason to blame a 37-year-old athlete managing a brutal schedule. The same goes for head coach Javier Mascherano, who has his own approach to player workload management.

Published by Patrick Jane
04.03.2025