Lionel Messi
- The Argentinian star will join David Beckham’s club in Florida
- The world champion’s new team is struggling in MLS
Lionel Messi has made his decision on his next and possibly last club in his hugely successful football career with the news that he will join Inter Miami from the MLS.
Messi is expected to confirm the news later on Wednesday.
Messi’s decision to cross the Atlantic comes as something of a surprise. Many believed he would follow in the footsteps of his old rival Cristiano Ronaldo and sign a lucrative contract with a club in Saudi Arabia. Others thought he would return to Barcelona, the club where he became one of the greatest players of all time.
Inter Miami would be a dubious landing spot for Lionel Messi
But Messi has decided to travel to Miami, a city where he already owns real estate. Inter Miami is partially owned by David Beckham, one of the few footballers who can rival Messi in world fame. The move also represents a publicity coup for MLS as it continues its efforts to become a major player in US esports. The last time the league attracted a player of Messi’s fame was when Beckham joined Los Angeles Galaxy in 2007.
The Athletic reported on Tuesday that MLS has offered the Argentine a revenue-sharing deal with Adidas and Apple TV+, which broadcasts the league in the US. There have also been reports that like Beckham, Messi will be given a chance to own an MLS team when he retires.
Messi joins a club in transition. Bottom of the MLS Eastern Conference, Inter Miami sacked manager Phil Neville last week. They still don’t have a permanent home in the city and play in a makeshift 18,000-seat stadium in Fort Lauderdale. The team was also disciplined by the MLS in 2021 for violating the league’s squad rules. However, fate can change quickly in the MLS, a competition designed for more parity than Messi is used to in European leagues. Inter Miami is six points behind ninth place, where they would qualify for an elimination game to reach the season-ending playoffs.
Messi’s contract with Paris St-Germain expires on June 30 and the club have confirmed he won’t sign a new deal to stay in France. While a return to Barcelona would have been a sentimental decision for the 35-year-old, the club’s precarious financial situation all but ruled out a reunion.
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