Why did Messi choose to join Internacional Miami? His new boss is David Beckham
In the early morning of June 8, Beijing time, in a joint interview between Daily Sports and World Sports, Messi announced that he would join Major League Team Miami International. Messi said: "I'm going to Internacional Miami. After winning the World Cup and not being able to return to Barça, it was time to go to the American League to experience different football. ”
At this point, Messi is about to travel to North America, and Ronaldo flew to Saudi Arabia half a year ago, and the "peerless double pride" left the five major European leagues, and the two superstars have not been on the same track since then. Some fans sighed: The Mero era has come to an end.
In this interview with the media, Messi mentioned his sadness when he was forced to leave Barca in 2021, and explained the reason why he did not return to Barca this summer, saying:
"I've been supporting Barca this past year and I'm a Barca fan. I talked a lot with Harvey and we talked a lot. ”
"I've received an offer from a European team before, but I haven't even evaluated it because in Europe my idea is just to go back to Barcelona."
"I really want to come back to Barca, I have dreams of coming back. But I was never sure about it, because I clearly remember the story of August 2021 two years ago, and after what happened two years ago, I didn't want to put my future in the hands of someone else. I don't want to break my trust with my children when I make a promise to go back to Barça. Thinking about me and my family, I decided to make my own choice. ”
"Although I've heard that La Liga is ready for my return, there are a lot of things that really don't have it. I've also heard that Barca had to sell players or reduce the salaries of existing players in order to sign me, and the truth is that I didn't want that to happen. ”
"I also thought about having a decent farewell like Andres Iniesta, Busquets, Alba, Xavi. That's why I am genuinely happy to hear Barça fans chanting my name at Camp Nou. ”
"Money has never been a problem for me. The problem is that I never went to the point of discussing a contract with Barca, they sent me invitations, but it was never formal and written. I also never discussed salary with Barça, and if I was for the money, I could go to Saudi Arabia or somewhere else, and they seemed to offer me a big contract. The truth is, I finally decided to move to Internacional Miami and not because of the money. ”
Previously, among the many potential next homes, the old club Barca was undoubtedly the most vocal choice, but in the end, Barca's poor financial situation added too many obstacles to Messi's return, and both sides had no choice but to give up.
Another popular option is the Riyadh Crescent of the Saudi League, which, according to several foreign media reports, offers the "king of football" the richest annual salary in football history - about 400 million euros.
But in the end, the sky-high price did not impress Messi, and the double Saudi derby that fans were expecting failed to materialize.
In the end, Miami International, who was not superior emotionally and financially, was unexpectedly favored by Messi.
According to sources familiar with the terms of the contract, Messi's contract is for two and a half years, with a +1 option to renew until 2026. Messi's annual salary at Miami International is $50 million.
Messi's contract is complex, including salary, bonuses and stake in the team, and is worth between $125 million and $150 million a year. League sponsors Apple and Adidas are still striking deals with Messi and will build on the revenue growth generated by Messi.
Before the G3 game of the Heat-Nuggets Finals, fans wore Messi's No. 10 jersey at the American Airlines Arena, the home of the Miami Heat.
Messi's joining Major League Soccer (MLS) this time may be inseparable from another football celebrity Beckham. Miami International was founded by David Beckham, a former football star who joined MLS in 2007 and acquired the rights to buy an expansion team for $25 million, opting to start a new team in Miami in 2014.
In recent years, with the overall value added of the MLS League, the club, founded in 2018, has a market capitalization of $585 million, ranking 37th in the Sportico Global Football Club Value List.
In terms of record, this new team is still young in the MLS League, with 5 wins and 11 losses in 16 games, ranking last in the East.
After it was reported that Messi would join Internacional Miami, the team's official social account rose to nearly one million followers in a few hours. US media said that Messi has increased the average ticket price of Miami International by 5 times. Internacional Miami will add 2,500 to 3,000 seats at DRV PNK Arena. It's safe to say that the capacity will increase to 22,000, and Miami Freedom Park is scheduled to open in March 2025. Sports industry journalists in the United States predict that Messi will make the club's market value exceed $1 billion next year, and Miami International will become the first football team in the history of the MLS to exceed $1 billion.
According to ESPN's previous report, after the successful joining of the "King of Ball", Miami International plans to make its debut on July 21.
(Source: Chao News)