When David Beckham moved to LA Galaxy in early 2007 the move was seen by many as giving the MLS some much needed credibility and the league has only continued to grow and attract big names from that time.
Finding a bigger name or "brand" than Beckham isn't easy, but there is one man who probably fits that bill - Maradona!
So what will his move to the Middle East, more specifically Al Wasl in the UAE, do for Football in that country? Will he have the same effect as Beckham had in the USA?
Al Wasl's CEO Ashraf Mohammad certainly thinks say, hailing his appointment as - "bigger than 2022!"
Of course comparing the two situations is like comparing apples and oranges. Beckham is a player whereas Maradona is a manager. But the impact they have on football in the respective countries could be very similar if the hype around their respective signings is anything to go by.
It won't be easy for Maradona though, the UAE isn't exactly known for its stable coaching environment, as most coaches who venture there will tell you.
David O'Leary, the former Leeds manager, was in and out within less than a year at UAE's Al Ahli after a series of poor results.
In fact the man Maradona is replacing, Brazilian Sergio Farias who guided Pohang Steelers to the 2009 AFC Champions League title, has been hired and fired at both Al Ahli (the Saudi version) and Al Wasl in the space of about 18 months.
In the UAE league season just gone there were 11 managerial changes, not including three from pre-season. It makes the English Premier League look tame in comparison!
How much patience will Al Wasl have if Maradona can't get instant results? From all reports his salary is a substantial figure (reportedly somewhere between $5m and $35m a year). Will they just throw that away if results don't come?
Probably not, afterall their CEO has conceded Maradona is a unique case and different to a ‘normal' manager. Different rules apply.
His effect could be just as telling off the pitch.
Already we've seen the first big name player linked with the club in Diego Forlan, and that's just the start.
"Let our imaginations run wild," CEO Ashraf Mohammad told the Gulf News.
His appointment could create a snowball effect where we see players towards the end of their career attracted by a large pay day and the opportunity to work with arguably the greatest player of all time.
With the hire-and-fire culture of UAE football, clubs and coaches aren't often worried about planning for the long term.
But another appointment by Al Wasl recently could be just as important as that of Maradona. Albert Benaiges, who spent 21 years at Barcelona nurturing their finest talent, has been appointed by Al Wasl to take control of their youth development.
It's a significant appointment and one of the first signs from a UAE club that they are actually starting to think like a club with a vision for the future. The talent is there, UAE underage teams have often performed well, so if Benaiges can develop that potential Al Wasl could be on to something special.
Maradona is the start of the show though, and if his appointment proves successful you can be sure other UAE and Middle Eastern clubs will begin to follow suit.
Maybe, just maybe, he will be the catalyst for professional football in the Middle East and with Qatar 2022 on the horizon anything is possible
