In mid-2023, the departure of Lionel Messi of PSG caused a sea of rumors in world football and the news linked him to a possible return to FC Barcelona, in order to ‘settle’ an outstanding debt, after his departure in 2021 due to economic issues. However, an offer appeared that was based on a project in an emerging team: Inter Miami. With David Beckham As owner, the Argentine star decided to come to Major League Soccer (MLS) to put on the ‘pink’ and thus gain his first professional experience in American soccer at the club level. Precisely, the Englishman was encouraged to tell operations about this detail.
In an interview with ‘The Times’, Beckham recalled the management to be able to keep Lionel Messi, clarifying that Barcelona was the main competitor. Nostalgia for returning to Spain may have played a role, so he worried whether the operation could go ahead.
“We always knew that there was going to be competition -to sign him-. The moment I got a little worried was when Barcelona showed interest. The club obviously pulls on his sentimental ties and he never got to say goodbye like he deserved there. That was the only time I started to worry that maybe he was going somewhere else. But we made it all possible. And, then, receiving that phone call telling us that he has decided to come with us… It still makes my hair stand on end”he related.
For David, being in Miami represented a sign of comfort to guarantee Messi’s stay with his family. Furthermore, the language might not be a problem since there is a Hispanic community that would not have any problem with the language.
“It was very difficult to compete based solely on an economic basis, but we had our city, what it represents, and also a place where your family could enjoy and spend time together. Miami is the unofficial capital of the Americas, a bilingual city. The majority of the population is Hispanic from South and Central America and I think that was a huge attraction for Messi”the president asked.
Messi’s presence in the future
There is no doubt that the impact of Lionel Messi’s signing caused an uproar (in a positive way) in the MLS environment. Along with him, players like Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba packed their suitcases to move to the United States. In the next season some other names could join. In the future, the idea is to have other world football stars.
“We are very confident in keeping him to help attract players and get involved in the football development of the club and football in the United States. I think you can have a great time, as I have. I think what makes Messi’s 2023 story special is that he has performed in ways that no one could have imagined. “I promised the fans and the people of Miami that I wanted to bring some of the best players in the world.”he pointed out.
How did Messi do at Inter Miami?
With an auspicious arrival, after his eventful departure from PSG, Messi seems to have met the fans’ expectations in his first season. While it is true that injuries prevented him from playing in all the games, his goals helped in victories for the team led by Gerardo Martino.
Leo’s numbers show that his start was unbeatable at Inter, after winning the Leagues Cup, the first trophy the Florida club was able to lift. Here he managed to score 10 goals in 7 gamesentering the history of the club that was founded in 2018.
On the other hand, He debuted in the MLS with a goal against the New York Red Bulls, but since then he saw the door again. He did not score against Nashville, Los Angeles FC or Charlotte, when he played 90 minutes, nor against Cincinnati, when he had just returned from injury.
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