FILE PHOTO: Messi to join Inter Miami after PSG exit. PICTURE: Getty Images
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0 SPAIN: The Barcelona legend said his move to Miami was not money motivated.
The 2022 FIFA World Cup winner Lionel Messi is moving to Internacional Miami, a club that plies its trade in Major League Soccer (MLS) in the United States of America (USA).
The football superstar is leaving Europe, where he played all of his professional career, for North America. Rather than returning to his long-time club, FC Barcelona, Messi opted for Miami.
In an exclusive interview with Mundo Deportivo, a Spanish sports newspaper, the 35-year-old said he wanted to go back to FC Barcelona, but he did not want history to repeat itself, as he left the club in unpleasant circumstances. The Barcelona legend said his move to Miami was not money motivated.
“If it had been a matter of money, I’d have gone to Arabia or elsewhere. It seemed like a lot of money to me,” he told the newspaper.
Messi left Paris Saint Germain (PSG) at the conclusion of the 2022/23 Ligue 1 season as a free agent. It was suspected that the record seven-time Ballon d’Or winner will join Al Hilal, a club that competes in the Saudi Professional League (SPL), as the Saudis have been dangling lucrative offers in front of top footballers in Europe.
MLS consequently released a statement after news of Messi joining the league had sent shock waves around the football world.
“We are pleased that Lionel Messi has stated that he intends to join Inter Miami and Major League Soccer this summer. Although work remains to finalise a formal agreement, we look forward to welcoming one of the greatest soccer players of all time to our league,’’ read the statement.
Messi will have a massive impact on Miami and MLS in general. He will put the spotlight on the league and bring in more viewers.
However, the Argentine will not have work cut out for him at Inter Miami. The club is currently in trouble, sitting at the bottom of the Eastern Conference of the league. It has collected 15 points from 16 games. Therefore, Messi will have to work his magic to inspire the club going forward.
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