There aren’t many chances for documentary filmmakers to capture extraordinary moments in real-time. So when the opportunity came to chronicle Lionel Messi’s first season with Inter Miami CF, Scott Boggins didn’t hesitate.
Boggins is an executive producer of Apple TV+’s Messi Meets America. The six-part docuseries debuted Oct. 11 with the first three episodes. It promises to give viewers a behind-the-scenes look at one of the all-time soccer greats. Messi’s mid-season arrival has been one of the biggest moments in Major League Soccer history.
Since his mid-season arrival over the summer, he has helped change the league by boosting attendance with record crowds. Messi is more than a footballer. He is a global star who attracts other stars. Celebrities such as LeBron James, Selena Gomez, Meghan Markle, and Magic Johnson are just some of the luminaries who have shown up to see Messi.
And while Inter Miami was recently eliminated from the playoffs, in part due to Messi missing games due to injury, his impact now and into the future is undeniable. Boggins was eager to examine this new chapter in the legend’s career. His crew has been embedded with the team since July.
“(We’re) able to tell a transformative moment for soccer in America in a real-time documentary series that is being presented to viewers in the moment while the moment is still happening,” Boggins said. “That is a wonderful opportunity as a storyteller to really dig in.”
There are only two matches left, and Inter Miami CF’s season will end Oct. 21. Still, this could be the start of something big. Messi’s contract is reportedly for 2 1/2 seasons, and will pay him between $50 million and $60 million annually. And despite speculation, Guillem Balagué reported that Messi won’t join Barcelona on loan or go to the Saudi Pro League after the MLS season ends.
Boggins’ documentary team at Smuggler Entertainment has been there from the start and will continue to keep filming.
“We’re still with them,” Boggins said. “We’re going all the way to the end of the season. We have really priceless moments of a season that has had its ups and downs, like any season. But this particular team adds the greatest of all time. He has come to Miami to celebrate his passion for the game.”
Projects like this are not easy to assemble on the fly. It wasn’t like Boggins’ team had an entire off-season to map out a strategy and anticipate possible story arcs. They started filming a club that was very much in transition. Inter Miami CF fired its coach in June amidst rumors of Messi joining the club.
“As a documentary unit, we weren’t starting at the beginning of the year,” Boggins said. “We were starting about halfway through a massive change. So, we need to go very slow.”
Boggins watched Messi-mania organically grow, including the club’s dramatic run to the Leagues Cup title in August. It was the first title trophy for the club.
Sometimes when camera crews are around, there is pushback from the club and the players. Boggins said there was no such resistance to his project.
“Everyone was super cooperative,” he said. “Lionel Messi was incredibly generous with his time. He was all in. He wanted to be a part of this project.”
Additional episodes of Messi Meets America are currently in production, to premiere later this season.
