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Lionel Messi played his last game with Paris Saint-Germain last Saturday, leaving fans wondering about his next steps. There were rumours he could be joining Al-Hilal FC, a football club in Saudi Arabia, while others believed he might rejoin Barcelona FC. He shocked the world by choosing Inter Miami CF as the stage for the next chapter of his career.
The announcement was made through Inter Miami CF’s social media, sharing a video where the world theorized about Messi’s next team. Messi then confirmed the news himself. “I made the decision that I am going to Miami. I still haven’t closed it one hundred percent. I’m missing some things but we decided to continue my journey there,” he said in Spanish, in an interview with Spanish outlet “Mundo Deportivo y Sport.”
Messi explained that his decision is impacted by several factors, including not being able to solidify a contract with Barcelona FC. It appears that Messi and his wife Antonela Roccuzzo didn’t want the move to Spain to be done in a rush, which happened when they moved to Paris and lived in a hotel for their first couple of months. Messi also didn’t want his return to Barcelona to affect the salary of his teammates or to prompt any sales.
David Beckham’s dream
While Messi’s move to the US was surprising for many fans, it doesn’t come completely out of left field. David Beckham, one of the owners of Inter Miami CF, has long been a fan of Messi and even suggested he might join his team in 2019. “You never know what can happen in football,” he said.
The MLS made a statement regarding Messi’s signing following his announcement. “We are pleased that Lionel Messi has stated that he intends to join Inter Miami and Major League Soccer this summer,” they said. “Although work remains to finalize a formal agreement, we look forward to welcoming one of the greatest soccer players of all time to our League.”