177% up to 5BTC + 77 Free Spins!
New players only. Exclusive Welcome Bonus of 177% + 77 Free Spins
Major League Soccer (MLS), the top-tier North American soccer competition, has pulled off a major coup after the David Beckham-owned franchise Inter Miami officially announced the signing of seven-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi. Inter Miami unveiled Messi at its stadium in Fort Lauderdale in front of thousands of cheering supporters. There had been rumors that Messi would put pen to paper with Inter Miami for months. However, Messi commands astronomical wages, and the MLS has a salary cap in place.
Former Liverpool attacking midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri was the MLS’ top earner, with Chicago Fire paying the Swiss star $8.2 million annually. However, Messi’s now-expired contract with French giants Paris St. Germain saw the World Cup winner paid around $39.2 million annually. Inter Miami and MLS officials have pulled more than a few strings to ensure Messi turned down a mega-money offer from Saudi Arabia and chose to grace the MLS with his presence instead. Details of Messi’s deal are under wraps. Still, it is believed tech giants Apple and sportswear Goliath Adidas have stepped in and offered the Argentinian a revenue share deal to get Messi’s Inter Miami move over the line.
Attracting a player of Messi’s caliber is a monumental occasion for the MLS. Even at 36 years old, Messi is still arguably the greatest football player ever and can change the outcome of a game in seconds. Messi’s undoubted ability is such that online sports betting sites have slashed the odds on struggling Inter Miami winning the coveted MLS Cup next season, despite the team languishing at the foot of the MLS standings.
Those odds could reduce further in the coming weeks, with Inter Miami heavily linked with two of Messi’s former Barcelona teammates, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets. Should Inter Miami sign those two Spaniards, they will be a force to be reckoned with next season.
Messi trained with his new teammates this week and is expected to debut against Mexican outfit Cruz Azul on July 21. It will mark the first time fans will see Messi wearing Beckham’s team’s pink and black kit.
Messi was unveiled as Inter Miami’s blockbuster signing at the DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. More than 21,000 packed into the stadium, with thousands more lining the surrounding streets, hoping to catch a glimpse of the man who could become their new hero.
Beckham revealed in an interview that signing Messi is not only a massive result in improving his team’s fortunes, but it puts the MLS on the footballing map and shows that the competition is serious about becoming a significant force in world football. Over 3.5 billion have watched various clips of Messi stepping out onto the pitch with his famous number ten on his back.
Messi has won almost every major honor in the game and is worshipped worldwide. He may only stand at 5ft 7in tall, but he is a magician with the ball at his feet. To date, Messi has scored an incredible 807 goals in 1,028 appearances and assisted 357 others. On average, Messi scores a goal every 105 minutes, assists one every 237 minutes, and is involved in a goal every 73 minutes.
Winning the FIFA World Cup with Argentina in 2022 was his proudest moment. Now he can add to his legendary status by helping Inter Miami become a real player in the MLS and further afield.