David Beckham and his club just made a milestone achievement when they successfully signed Lionel Messi, the undisputed GOAT of football.
The world of football was left stunned as Lionel Messi made a historic move to Inter Miami, joining the Major League Soccer (MLS) club co-owned by former Manchester United legend David Beckham. After a decade of planning and relentless pursuit, Beckham finally secured the signature of the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner. Messi's arrival in Miami has already set the league alight, with the Argentine maestro grabbing an impressive 5 goals and 2 assists after three games at the new club.
Beckham's vision for Inter Miami
David Beckham's post-football career was far from ordinary. In 2014, he triggered an option to buy an MLS expansion franchise for $25 million, laying the foundation for Inter Miami. Beckham's dream took shape immediately after his retirement, with Messi featuring prominently in his vision for the club. The Argentine icon was always on Beckham's mind, and their paths eventually intersected in a dramatic and historic manner.
Speaking exclusively to The Athletic, he revealed that the desire to have Messi play for their team was a topic of discussion during a casual dinner with Inter co-owner Jorge Mas.
'It all came from a conversation over a glass of wine at dinner,' Beckham fondly reminisced. 'I turn to Jorge and say, ‘One day, we need Messi to come to our club.’ It was probably when we first met.'
A dream comes true
The passion and determination to secure the Argentine superstar's signature never wavered. Beckham mentioned finding an old presentation by advertising agency Doubleday & Cartwright, where they had envisioned Messi wearing an Inter Miami jersey. 'That was 10 years ago. So it was always in my mind,' he emphasized, highlighting the long-term plan to make the dream a reality.
They secretly flew to Barcelona to meet with Messi's father and agent, Jorge Messi, back in September 2019. The meeting aimed to plant the seed of a potential move for the footballing icon to Miami. The former Manchester United star revealed:
'We got on a plane and flew to Barcelona from London secretly. We snuck into a hotel, met Jorge Messi and started the conversation. It purely went, ‘We would love your son to play for our team one day. We know he can’t come yet, but one day we would love to have Leo in Miami’.'
Beckham's ten-year pursuit of Messi culminated in one of the biggest deals in American sports history. Beckham expressed the enormity of bringing Messi to Inter Miami, highlighting the significance of having the 'greatest player to ever play our game' join the club. He acknowledged that the move was a testament to the ambition and stature of the club, as they succeeded in outbidding all competition to secure Messi's services. He told The Athletic:
'We’re talking about the biggest sporting market in the world. Bringing Leo Messi to Inter Miami, to MLS, the year after he wins the World Cup, to a team that is three years old… it’s a hell of an achievement.'
The moment of triumph
In early June, Messi announced that he would be joining Inter Miami, snubbing a more lucrative offer from Saudi Arabia.
As the news of Messi's arrival at Inter Miami broke, Beckham was in Japan with his family. In the early hours of the morning, his phone kept vibrating with notifications about the transfer. He said:
'I put my glasses on and I’m like, ‘Leo’s coming! It’s done! He has announced it! I get goosebumps talking about it. I phoned Jorge (Mas) straight away and got emotional because I know what we’ve gone through over the last few years.'
The emotion of the moment left Beckham in tears as he realized that a decade of planning and hard work had come to fruition. He gushed:
'I never thought I would have the same feeling as an owner as I had when I was a player. When I got the phone call, I had the feeling I had when I walked out at Old Trafford or Wembley.'
Lionel Messi's arrival at Inter Miami has propelled the club into the global spotlight. With Messi leading the charge alongside other Barcelona legends like Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, Inter Miami's ambitions have reached new heights. Under the guidance of former Barcelona boss Tata Martino, the team aims for on-field domination, and off the pitch, Beckham envisions the club's brand becoming as iconic as the New York Yankees.
With famous faces like LeBron James, Kim Kardashian, and DJ Khaled already showing their support, Inter Miami is rapidly becoming a cultural phenomenon. For Beckham, Messi's signing marks the beginning of an exciting chapter in the club's history, as they strive to leave a lasting legacy on American soil.
Read more:
⋙ Lionel Messi's huge salary revealed as he joins struggling club owned by David Beckham
⋙ Romeo Beckham turns down chance to play with Messi at father's club for this reason
⋙ Lionel Messi opens up about possibility of playing alongside Cristiano Ronaldo at PSG
⋙ Brentford chief explains why signing Romeo Beckham could have been 'disaster'
