Superstar Lionel Messi signs MLS’s Inter Miami over Saudi Arabia, Barcelona

One of Major League Soccer’s all-time dreams reportedly came true Wednesday. Lionel Messi, soccer’s most famous superstar and arguably its greatest-ever player, has reportedly agreed to join Inter Miami.

The report came from veteran Spanish journalist Guillem Balagué, a contributor to outlets including CBS and the BBC who wrote a major biography of Messi and has known him well for many years.

After months of frenzied speculation, Messi chose the United States over an offer from Saudi Arabia worth hundreds of millions of dollars per year, and over a potential return to the team of his heart, Spain’s Barcelona, where he spent the first 16 years of his career.

Messi will arrive in MLS less than a year after the crowning achievement of his career, winning the men’s World Cup with Argentina. He has won the UEFA Champions League four times, the Spanish league 10 times and the French league twice, as well as the 2021 Copa América and 2008 Olympics with Argentina.

Individually, he is a seven-time winner of the Ballon d’Or award as the world’s top men’s player, and a three-time winner of FIFA’s player of the year prize.

» READ MORE: World Cup debate: Did the World Cup prove Messi is the GOAT? Was it the best final ever?

What it took to get Messi to MLS isn’t yet known. Balagué, a contributor to outlets including CBS and the BBC, reported that Apple and Adidas stood ready to pitch in with commercial deals “to make his brand even bigger.”

Apple holds MLS’s worldwide broadcasting rights, and will sell lots of streaming subscriptions with Messi on its platform; Adidas is MLS’s exclusive jersey supplier, and Miami’s pink-and-black shirts will fly off the shelves.

The Athletic reported that MLS and Apple “have discussed” giving Messi a share of revenue from subscriptions to Apple’s MLS Season Pass package. Coincidentally — or perhaps not? — Apple recently struck a deal with Messi to distribute a four-part documentary on his career. The announcement did not say when the series will be released, and a spokesperson for the production declined to give The Inquirer any more details.

What did Saudi Arabia offer Lionel Messi?

But MLS’s triumph is undoubtedly an upset. The Saudi offer was over $425 million per year in salary, plus commercial deals, for a two-season stay. There has never been a salary greater than $14 million per year in MLS. Messi’s pay will surely top that, but it will be a surprise if he earns more 10% of what he could have in the Middle East.

Saudi Arabia was able to offer that huge sum because of backing from the government’s sovereign wealth fund, known as the Public Investment Fund. The PIF also owns English club Newcastle United and LIV Golf, launching the latter to rebel against the PGA Tour until the PGA agreed to a merger this week.

» READ MORE: Former MLS star Miguel Almirón is excited to return to America this summer with Newcastle United

The PIF’s next step is already underway: spending billions of dollars to attract soccer’s biggest stars to the country’s domestic league. It has already reeled in three top names: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United and Portugal) in January, and Karim Benzema (Real Madrid and France) and N’Golo Kanté (Chelsea and France) this month.

Messi was to be the biggest catch of all, but he chose America instead.

Saudi Arabia’s ‘sportswashing’ controversy

The Saudi government has been widely accused of “sportswashing,” using all these big sports moves to clean up the image of a country that discriminates against women, bans homosexuality, and has alleged links to terrorism.

Saudi crown prince and prime minister Mohammed bin Salman has been accused of orchestrating the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Two years ago, a U.S. government report linked a Saudi official to al-Qaeda’s Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks against the United States. Families of the victims made that point loudly when the PGA-Saudi peace accord was announced.

» READ MORE: The PGA Tour caved to rival LIV Golf to chase the money | Marcus Hayes

Miami was not Messi’s first choice, according to a range of reports and a statement from his father Jorge. The player and his family wanted to go back to Barcelona, where he grew up as an academy player and mesmerized the world as a pro from 2005-21. The Spanish giant has had financial problems for years, and was forced to let Messi go in 2021.

He joined France’s Paris Saint-Germain, where he teamed up with Neymar and Kylian Mbappé for two star-studded but unfulfilling seasons. PSG won two French league titles, but flamed out in the UEFA Champions League’s round of 16 both times — and that was the prize Messi was signed to win.

Barcelona has taken some big steps to clean up its books, but it has too much left to do to comply with the Spanish league’s financial rules to bring Messi back.

» READ MORE: Apple finally breaks its silence on how MLS Season Pass has performed in its first year

When will Lionel Messi debut for Inter Miami?

Messi played his last game for PSG on June 3, and his contract ends on June 30. He will likely take some time off before taking the field in MLS. One source who knew of talks within league circles told The Inquirer that Messi likely won’t make his debut until August.

Either way, Messi won’t come to Philadelphia during the regular season, because Miami visits Subaru Park on June 24. Whether he’d come in the playoffs depends on Miami getting out of last place in the Eastern Conference.

If Messi debuts during the Leagues Cup tournament between MLS and Mexico’s Liga MX, a visit here would require Miami to top either Atlanta or Mexico’s Cruz Azul in the group stage, then reach the semifinals.

When the regular season resumes, Miami hosts Charlotte on Aug. 20, then visits the New York Red Bulls on Aug. 26. That’s a game worth circling no matter what.

Along with being Messi’s closest scheduled game to Philadelphia, it will be his second time at Red Bull Arena in recent months. Messi scored on the Union’s Andre Blake and Damion Lowe there last September when Argentina beat Jamaica in a World Cup tune-up.

If you’re interested in traveling farther to see Messi, circle games set for NFL stadiums: Sept. 16 at Atlanta, Oct. 4 at Chicago, and Oct. 21 at Charlotte. And circle the Sept. 3 game at Los Angeles FC, too, because MLS headquarters surely will.

» READ MORE: Andre Blake relishes dueling with Lionel Messi in a Jamaica vs. Argentina showcase