KSHB 41 reporter Tod Palmer covers sports business and eastern Jackson County, including Independence. Share your story idea with Tod.
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Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce are living legends and future Hall of Famers, but both pale in comparison to Lionel Messi's global superstardom.
Messi, of course, will kick off Kansas City’s turn in the FIFA World Cup 26 spotlight when Argentina opens its defense of its 2022 World Cup title June 16 against Algeria at Kansas City Stadium, which is GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium’s name for the next six weeks.
But he and the rest of the Argentinian national team, often affectionately referred to as La Albiceleste, will also call Kansas City home for the next month, give or take, after selecting Sporting Kansas City’s Compass Minerals National Performance Center for their base camp.
Argentina is a team full of star players, but the diminutive Messi stands head and shoulders above the rest of the world’s iconic players.
For instance, Messi's number adorned the tail fin of Argentina's plane from Buenos Aires to Kansas City — and he wasn't even on it. He took a flight from Miami later in the day.
On the corners of the team hotel, where fans will wait hours just to glimpse the team bus, Messi’s face stands four stories high.
An army of grown men in No. 10 replica Messi jerseys is set to invade Kansas City, a cult following similar to the Beatles.
Outside the U.S., soccer is the world's most popular sport, so Messi's fame in Europe, Asia and South America dwarfs that of Kansas City's most celebrated athletes.
"Messi, he just made the game special," Kansas City resident Thomas Zathang said as he and a couple of friends visited the team hotel Tuesday.
Anahi Fernandez, a Kansas City resident whose father is Argentinian, said Messi's ability on the pitch is unlike anything else.
"The way he dribbles, his movement, skills — everything about it is just like, 'Wow, I wish I could do that,'" Fernandez said.
Ricardo Zenaloza traveled from Buenos Aires to Kansas City for the World Cup and said Messi's appeal goes beyond soccer.
"He's a very good example about just trying — and, if you fail, try again," Zenaloza said. “I think that’s what many people can see that makes him special. Sometimes in your life, life is sometimes putting you down, and you just need to get up and be stronger. And I feel Messi is a very good example of that.
Messi helped Argentina reach the World Cup final in 2014, but the team came up short, and La Albiceleste struggled four years later.
But Messi led a triumph at the 2022 World Cup, cementing his status as an all-time great.
“With that trophy, no one can say anything,” Agustin Novaira, an Argentina fan from Messi's hometown of Rosario, said. “He is the GOAT. He has everything. He won everything he played. He has Champions League, La Liga, he has the World Cup, Copa America — he has everything, so he’s the GOAT.”
Novaira said his reach is truly worldwide.
"Messi's known everywhere — every single part of the world, people know who he is," Novaira said. "... And he always does what he has to do. He's amazing.”
Even fellow professionals are in awe. Graham Zusi — a former Sporting KC star, MLS Best XI midfielder, 2014 World Cup veteran and KSHB 41 World Cup analyst — said other soccer players marvel at what Messi can do.
"Oh, yeah — no question about it," Zusi said. "I did have the opportunity to play against Messi, and I felt like I was doing that even during the game. ... When he's playing, the world seems to stop and watch — and for good reason.”
Zusi considers Messi the greatest player in world soccer history.
"He's the greatest to do it of all time," Zusi said.
Messi will appear in a record sixth World Cup later this month, tied with rival Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal for the most in history. His 13 goals are fourth-most in World Cup history, and his eight assists are tied for first.
Messi is a goal-scoring machine, but it’s his influence within the team — with his deft footwork and passing — that takes him to another stratosphere.
“Something that he’s done throughout his career is make other people around him so much better as well,” Zusi said. “He’s like a Michael Jordan of soccer in that sense.”
Perhaps more importantly, Fernandez said Messi's influence extends well beyond soccer.
"He inspired me to do great in things that I love," Fernandez said.
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