A number of media disclosed that Messi signed a two-and-a-half-year contract with Miami International, and his annual salary, bonuses and equity dividends will exceed 100 million US dollars (about 714 million yuan).
On the morning of the 10th, Messi's private plane landed at Beijing Airport, and Messi will start his seventh trip to China. Arriving with Messi were players such as Enzo, Di Maria, De Paul, Lo Celso, Paredes and others.
7th China trip
Next Thursday (June 15), Messi will lead the Argentine national team in a friendly match against the Australian national team in Beijing, which is also the second meeting between the two sides after the 1/8 final of the World Cup in Qatar. The match will be held at the 68,000-capacity Beijing Workers Stadium.
There are still five days left before the match, but the vast number of Chinese fans seem to be unable to contain their inner excitement. Videos earlier showed many Chinese fans waiting at the airport to pick up their flights, interacting with players who had arrived.
According to statistics, this is Messi's 7th trip to China.
The most important of the previous six trips to China was the 2008 Beijing Olympic football final, when the 21-year-old Messi helped the Argentine men's team win the Olympic gold medal as a player of the right age.
This time in China, Messi has received a lot of attention, and rumors are also spreading on the Internet. For example, "300,000 people, Messi can come to toast and take photos." ”
The official Weibo of the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau "Ping An Beijing" specially refuted the rumor: "If these 300,000 can be deceived, then the police uncle will toast you!" ”
The organizers of Argentina's China Tour also refuted rumors that recently found that some online platforms and individual network users posted content on major Internet platforms: "live broadcast goods", "football star meeting", "can take photos with Messi", "can eat at the same table with participating players", "can take photos with world football stars", "communicate face-to-face with football teams", "shirt signatures", "dinner with football stars" and other content, and charge high fees.
"Please remind everyone that the organizers of this tournament have not arranged for Argentine player Messi and other players from the two teams to participate in any public welfare or commercial activities. None of the information published on the above online platforms is relevant to the organizer. I hope that everyone will carefully screen and beware of being deceived. ”
Say goodbye to Europe
Not only domestically, but recently Messi has also been the focus of international attention.
Messi officially announced his joining Major League Soccer team Miami Internacional on the 7th, and the 35-year-old Argentine "ball king" bid farewell to the five major European leagues.
After Messi announced his decision, the Miami international confirmed through official social media that he had signed Messi, and the Argentine would wear the team's No. 10 shirt to play in Major League League.
For the new owner, Miami International, owner David Beckham itself is the biggest hot spot. A number of media disclosed that Messi signed a two-and-a-half-year contract with Miami International, and his annual salary, bonuses and equity dividends will exceed 100 million US dollars (about 714 million yuan). According to reports, Messi is expected to make his debut in the North American League Cup match between Miami International and Mexico's Blue Cross on July 21, local time.
Messi revealed that his transfer was not for money, and if it was only to make money, he might go to Saudi Arabia.
However, the team, which was founded in 2018 and joined Major League Soccer in 2020, has had disappointing results in recent years, with its best result being only 6th in the East in the 2022 season. This season, the team is at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings. However, with the arrival of Messi, Miami International has invited Messi's approved Argentine coach Martino to coach, and is planning to bring in Messi's former Barca and Argentina teammates such as Busquets, Suarez and Di Maria.
After announcing Messi's arrival, Internacional Miami's social media rose to more than one million followers overnight. Surrounded by professional basketball, baseball and rugby clubs, the football club, which was previously obscure and is currently ranked last in the East this season. But the arrival of Messi instantly turned the pattern upside down.
There is no shortage of big-name stars in the history of the MLS, such as Pele, Beckenbauer, Henry, David Beckham, and Ibrahimovich, but Messi's meaning is obviously different. The Associated Press has bluntly said that Messi may become the biggest "promoter" in the history of American professional football. The United States, which is due to host the World Cup jointly with Canada and Mexico in three years' time, has signed the core of the reigning World Cup champion team.
According to The Athletic, Messi will actually sign a series of profit-sharing deals. The first is Apple TV+, the official broadcaster of the MLU, and Messi will receive a revenue share from the increase in subscribers of the MLU; Adidas, which provides jerseys to all MLB teams, will also sign a similar contract with Messi.
Most importantly, similar to David Beckham, Messi may also be given the "option" to buy/start a MLS team at a low price. When David Beckham joined the Los Angeles Galaxy in 2007, the league offered him a discounted price of $25 million to start a new team. David Beckham chose to "exercise" in 2014 to start Miami International, and the new team officially entered the league in 2020. In addition to David Beckham, local Miami entrepreneurs Maas Brothers are also shareholders of the team, but the specific shareholding ratio has not been announced. Before the official announcement of Messi's arrival, the team's valuation had reached $600 million.
Editor丨Lin Qin Comprehensive Beijing Business Daily, Zhongxin Sports Circle, Extreme News,
Picture丨Beijing Business Daily, Sina Weibo @ Ping An Beijing screenshot, Sina Weibo @ 2023 Football Champion Line