Lionel Messi to get a second documentary series on Apple TV+

If you get a documentary on your life, it means you’re pretty important. But getting two documentaries (done at the same time!) means you’re dominating whatever field you’re in. Just like Lionel Messi does.

Soccer – or football, as five billion people around the world call it – is for sure not terribly popular in the US, but when a giga-star like Messi shows up and joins the MLS (Major League Soccer), the interest rises sharply (via 9to5Mac).

In order to convert more MLB/NBA/NHL fans into avid soccer devotees, Apple is relying on some Hollywood-level documentaries to stir up the hype vibe even further. Back in June, we reported on a four-part series that was in the making, which will follow Messi’s rights and wrongs at the World Cup events throughout the years. The last edition of the World Cup tournament was held in Qatar in 2022 and – guess what – the final was won by Messi’s team, Argentina.

So, Apple TV+ is going to host not only that documentary but another one, too: this time, it will be focused on Leo Messi’s MLS debut season and path to goals and wins. This one is reported to be longer than the World Cup four-part production: the MLS documentary is expected to consist of six episodes. Both projects are being produced by Smuggled Entertainment and are promising exclusive behind-the-scenes access to Lionel Messi. So far there are neither titles nor release dates attached to both projects.

The second documentary event is executive produced by Tim Pastore, Emmy Award winner for the breathtaking Free Solo (which also won Best Documentary Feature at the 91st Academy Awards).

Apple and soccer? How come?

Yes, “Apple and soccer” does not sound like a match made in heaven, but “Apple and money”... that’s more like it. The Cupertino giant offers the soccer streaming service MLS Season Pass – which doubled its paid subscription users just because of Lionel Messi’s coming to Inter Miami in July. Hey, there are more things to sell than just the iPhone!