BARRIO (Forbes) – There’s no doubt that Leo Messi’s arrival in the United States to join Inter Miami has generated Messi mania. And it looks like Apple TV’s 10-year $2.5 billion deal to stream Major League Soccer games has given the service a big boost in subscribers to its separate MLS Season Pass service thanks to Messi, considered by many to be the greatest-of-all-time in the sport.

That’s not lost on Apple TV+, which is capitalizing on the soccer star’s celebrity factor for all of its subscribers with the premiere of its six-part documentary Messi Meets America.

After more than 20 record-breaking years of excellence between Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain, and winning the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 with Argentina’s national football team, Messi’s move to Miami could mark a turning point in growing and elevating the popularity of soccer in the U.S. – a sport that has an estimated five billion fans around the world.

The six-part Apple TV+ documentary chronicles Messi’s immersion in the U.S., the transformation of Inter Miami CF, and his impact on North America soccer.

The series, produced for Apple by SMUGGLER Entertainment, in association with Major League Soccer, features exclusive behind-the-scenes access to Messi as he makes his debut in Leagues Cup and Major League Soccer, selling out record crowds nationwide whenever he plays, capturing his amazing goals.In less than eight hours after Apple TV dropped the Messi Meets America trailer, it amassed one million views.

The series premiered globally on October 11 with the first three episodes. Additional episodes premiered later in the season.

Messi Meets America is executive produced by Emmy Award winner Tim Pastore (Free Solo, Jane), Emmy and Tony Award winners Patrick Milling Smith and Brian Carmody, and Emmy Award winner Matt Renner (Free Solo, Limitless with Chris Hemsworth) of SMUGGLER Entertainment, alongside Scott Boggins (The Circus, 24/7).