Lionel Messi completed his move to Inter Miami yesterday.
He was heavily tipped to be favouring a move to Saudi Arabia, where he would have joined Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema in the league in a deal that could not be matched financially.
But Messi was ultimately tempted to Major League Soccer (MLS) side Inter Miami for a variety of
reasons including lifestyle, and a deal with big brands that extends beyond football.
What are your thoughts on this decision, do you think Messi made the right choice?
Percentage on subscriptions to the MLS Season Pass from APPLE TV, paid directly by APPLE Percentage of Inter Miami shirt sales, paid directly by Adidas Possibility of acquiring an MLS franchise at the end of his career
Note that all MLS franchises contributed financially to see the Argentinian come to USA.
@FabrizioRomano: “Messi’s priority have always been to play for Barcelona, he was waiting for Barça, he wanted to have guarantees that he would 100% be registered and for Barcelona it was impossible to proceed in that way because they couldn’t give any guarantees, they did their best and so did Leo, but it was impossible.”
Since turning 30 at the start of the 2017/18 season, Lionel Messi has been directly involved in more league goals than any other player in Europe’s top five divisions.
◎ 196 games
◉ 147 goals
◉ 85 assists
Averaging a goal or assist once every 71.6 minutes.
I think it’s the right move for Messi at this juncture of his career. Messi has achieved everything that one can dream of and in the next few years he can contribute to the game by just being around. I observed this during his time at PSG too where his assists (20) were as many as his goals (21).
Lionel Messi, one of the greatest soccer players of all time, has announced that he is joining Inter Miami CF in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a free agent this summer.
Here are some arguments for and against whether this is the right move for him:
Arguments for:
Messi’s arrival at Inter Miami is a massive boost for a team that has struggled to generate quality chances and is currently in last place in the MLS Eastern Conference.
The move to MLS would make more sense than a move to Saudi Pro League.
Messi will have the opportunity to play in a new league and challenge himself in a different environment.
He will be joining a team that is backed by David Beckham, one of the most iconic soccer players of all time.
Messi’s former Argentina teammate Gonzalo Higuaín starred for Inter Miami from 2020 to 2022, which could help him settle in.
The move to Inter Miami will give Messi more control over his future, as he had agreed to a contract extension with FC Barcelona in 2021 but was unable to stay due to financial issues.
Arguments against:
Messi will need to adapt to a league that is several notches below what he is accustomed to, as well as the weather and travel demands.
The sight of Messi playing in an 18,000-seat stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, will take some getting used to.
The financial issues that led to his abrupt exit from FC Barcelona may also affect his move to Inter Miami.
Some argue that Messi should have stayed in Europe’s top-flight divisions.
The move to MLS could be seen as a step down in his career.
Included in Lionel Messi’s deal with Inter Miami:
Percentage on subscriptions to the MLS Season Pass from APPLE TV, paid directly by APPLE
Leo Messi: “If it had been a matter of money, I’d have gone to Saudi Arabia or elsewhere. It seemed like a lot of money to me.
