Lionel Messi MLS signing set off David Beckham’s phone

Soccer

By Christian Arnold

July 3, 2023 | 8:26pm

Lionel Messi’s decision to head to Inter Miami and MLS came as a shock to just about everyone in the sporting world– except maybe one person.

David Beckham recalled the moment he learned Messi was South Florida-bound in an interview with The Athletic on Monday.

Messi’s impending arrival has widely been considered a coup for America’s top domestic soccer league and the struggling Miami club.

But Beckham, a co-owner of Inter Miami, described it as the realization of a promise he made a long time ago.

“A couple of weeks ago, I woke up to about a million messages on my phone,” Beckham said. “I was thinking, ‘What’s gone off? I don’t usually get this many messages.’ All of a sudden, I hear Leo has come out and announced he’s coming to Miami. Obviously, it wasn’t a surprise to me.

“I have always said, from the word go, that if I had the opportunity to bring the best players in the game to Miami, at whatever time of their careers, I would do that. I have always made that commitment to our fans.

“So when I hear that one of the best players — if not the best player — who has won everything in the game, who is still a great player, still young and still doing what he’s doing, wants to play for my team, it’s a massive moment for us.”

Interest in Inter Miami has skyrocketed since the announcement early last month as the team’s social media following and ticket demand surged. 

Messi’s first game with the MLS club is expected to be on July 21 when Inter Miami hosts Mexican side Cruz Azul in a Leagues Cup match. 

The soccer superstar passed on a massive deal with Saudi Arabia’s PIF fund to join Al-Hilal and financial constraints prevented a return to Barcelona for Messi. 

Inter Miami owner Jorge Mas called the process of getting Messi to the United States something that had been in the works for three years.

In an interview with Spanish newspaper El Pais, Mas said they had “started thinking about how we could bring him” to the U.S. in 2019. 

“[The negotiations lasted] three years. One-and-a-half years negotiating intensely. Lots of conversations with Jorge [Messi, Lionel’s dad]. I viewed it as done at the end of May. David talked to Leo, only over footballing topics, because he was still playing at PSG. He didn’t want him to feel any pressure,” Mas said

The Inter Miami owner also said he believed “Messi can make MLS one of the two or three biggest leagues in the world.” 

Messi is expected to be surrounded by some familiar faces when he does arrive in the Sunshine State.

Former Real Madrid and PSG defender Sergio Ramos and ex-Barcelona defender Jordi Alba are both close to signing with Inter Miami, according to Sport. 

Inter Miami also announced the signing of Sergio Busquets in late June.

In addition, the teams recently hired fellow Argentine Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino to be it’s head coach.

The MLS Cup winner previously coached Messi with Barcelona and Argentina’s national team.