At first glance, one might think Lionel Messi is swapping Paris St Germain for a club that has been champions of Europe three times.
But, after a double-take, you will see that Fifa’s best player in the world is not signing for Champions League finalists Inter Milan — but Inter Miami, a club with only five years of history.
“I made the decision that I am going to go to Miami,” 35-year-old Messi said on Wednesday, choosing to go Stateside after a deal to return to his beloved Barcelona fell through.
Messi played for the Catalan giants from 2004 to 2021, scoring a record 672 goals, and wanted to return, but it has been widely reported the cash-strapped club could not afford him.
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The Argentine said: “If the Barcelona thing didn’t work out, I wanted to leave Europe, get out of the spotlight, and think more about my family.”
In choosing the US, it seems the World Cup winner has reportedly spurned the chance to move to Saudi Arabia — where fellow modern legend Cristiano Ronaldo now plays.
But who are Inter Miami and why has Lionel Messi decided to move to a club with such little history or fame?
Who are Inter Miami and where are they based?
Club Internacional de Fútbol Miami, as they are officially called, are one of the newest clubs to be involved in Major League Soccer (MLS) — the US league which itself only dates back to 1996.
The league subscribes to the US sports business model of franchising and expansion. Unlike the European football pyramid system of promotion and relegation, the MLS operates a single league split into eastern and western divisions, with leaders qualifying for a postseason knockout tournament to determine the league champion. The lack of relegation is good news for Miami, who are currently bottom of the eastern league.
MLS executives are keen to involve larger cities and potentially lucrative options to grow the popularity of the game across the US. Miami has been a target city for years following the collapse of Miami Fusion in 2001.
When David Beckham joined the MLS as a player in 2007 with LA Galaxy he was given the option of purchasing an expansion team. When he retired in 2013, he held meetings and Miami was put forward as an option for him to invest in. He has since joined forces with American billionaires Jorge and Jose Mas — who are behind the construction company MasTec.
Inter was founded in 2018 and started playing in 2020. The team play at the 18,000-capacity DRV PNK (Drive Pink) Stadium in Fort Lauderdale — a city that is 48 km north of Miami.
Who is Inter Miami’s manager?
Beckham’s influence has seen former Uruguay coach Diego Alonso and Manchester United player Phil Neville manage Inter Miami — the latter being fired last week after poor form.
Javier Morales, a 43-year-old Argentine former player, is the interim manager, having previously been the coach of Inter’s academy.
Why did Lionel Messi sign for Inter Miami? What is his salary?
Messi is set to sign a deal for £43 million per year for four years. The MLS has also reportedly offered the Argentinian a revenue-sharing deal with Adidas and Apple TV+
While this was likely a factor, he has also expressed a desire to play in the US and leave behind the pressures of Europe.
Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba, and Luis Suárez, all former teammates of Messi at Barcelona, have all been linked to Inter Miami. Gonzalo Higuain, Messi’s former Argentina teammate, played for Inter before he retired last year.
In addition, Messi also already has property in Miami. He has three sons with his wife, Antonela Roccuzzo, whom he has been with since 2008.
