Lionel Messi (36, Argentina) is heading to Inter Miami in the US Major League Soccer (MLS). The move comes after a return to his hometown club FC Barcelona (Spain) fell through due to the club’s financial situation. Messi also rejected an offer from Saudi Arabia for “oil money,” saying that “money is not everything.
“Messi wants to join Miami and MLS,” the MLS office said on 8 August. Messi himself has confirmed this and we welcome one of the greatest soccer players in history to MLS.” “I have decided to go to MLS Miami,” Messi told Spanish media later in the day, “The transfer process is not yet 100% complete, but I will continue to work on my move to Miami.” The move will see Messi, whose contract with French Ligue 1 side Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) expires at the end of the 2022-2023 season, play outside Europe for the first time since his debut.메이저사이트
According to sports media outlets such as The Athletic, Messi’s move to the United States is largely due to the support of the global companies that sponsor MLS.
Online video service Apple TV, which will broadcast MLS games for 10 years starting this season, has reportedly considered sharing a portion of its revenue with Messi, while fellow sponsor Adidas has also explored ways to share revenue from MLS. Add to that the fact that one of Miami’s co-owners is David Beckham, and Messi’s move may have been influenced by that.
The BBC explained that Messi was drawn to Miami for non-football reasons, including “a big brand deal and lifestyle.”
Saudi Arabia was originally a strong possibility for Messi. Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal had offered Messi a staggering $570 million salary. Saudi professional football has been luring world stars to its ranks, with Cristiano Ronaldo signing in January and Karim Benzema recently. “If I was thinking about money, I would have gone to Saudi Arabia or somewhere else,” Messi said in an interview, adding, “My decision has nothing to do with money.”
His return to Barcelona, his home club for more than two decades, was hindered by financial concerns, just as it was when he left in tears in 2021.