Lionel Messi turned over a hugely lucrative offer from Saudi Arabia to join MLS team Inter Miami, and he may have his work cut out for him if he wants to make them a team that can contend for championships.
Messi, 35, announced on Wednesday that he had opted to transfer to the United States after turning down a lucrative three-year contract with Saudi club Al Hilal that was reportedly worth €1.3bn (£1.1bn) — or around €500m (£430m) annually.
He will instead join Inter Miami, an MLS team that is partially owned by David Beckham.
Messi told the tabloids Mundo Deportivo and Diario Sport, “I’ve made the decision that I’m going to Miami.”
I made the decision to leave Europe.
“It’s true that I received offers from other European teams, but I didn’t even consider them because in Europe, my only option was to sign with Barcelona,” he continued.
“Now that I’ve won the World Cup but can’t go to Barcelona, it’s time to move to Major League Soccer so I can experience football in a new way and enjoy my daily life more.
“Obviously, with greater calm, and with the same responsibility and desire to succeed and do things well.”
Inter Miami was newly established in 2018 and debuted in the MLS in 2020.
In their first three seasons in the tournament, they placed 19, 20, and 12 in the overall standings, respectively, and have struggled once more this year.
Miami is now in 27th position in the overall standings and dead last in the Eastern Conference division. This awful performance led to the firing of head coach and former Manchester United defender Phil Neville earlier this month after a run of 10 losses in a row.
Aguero, Messi’s closest friend and former teammate on the international level, claims to have kept in touch with the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner ever since he made his decision public.
Aguero admitted to ESPN Argentina that he emailed Messi a screenshot of the MLS standings and got a reply.
Aguero told ESPN (through the Daily Mail) that he spoke with Messi the day before.
“Your team is behind! I sent him a message with a screenshot of the Eastern Conference rankings. You must advance to 8th or 9th grade!
“Messi laughed. We have to qualify for the playoffs, he declared.
The top nine teams in the MLS’s Eastern Conference advance to the postseason play-offs; Inter Miami, currently in 15th position, is currently six points behind Charlotte FC, which is in ninth place.
