The World Cup champion is still playing professional soccer, but with Inter Miami CF of the Major League Soccer, a last-place team owned by David Beckham and the Mas brothers of Florida.
The choice is unexpected in part because Messi is leaving Paris Saint-Germain, a French superpower, while rejecting offers that might be more alluring, but the financial terms of his offer from Miami are still unknown.
In addition to Saudi Arabia apparently dangling a $400 million offer for the Argentinian legend after handing similarly lucrative agreements to Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema, Barcelona was reportedly interested in a reunion with Messi.
So why would Messi choose to play for a losing team over an unfathomable paycheck? The short response is: He
First off, Messi has long had his eye on the owner's box, and according to a source familiar with the issue who spoke to Reuters, he would get that chance in Miami - if not right away, but soon.
It's encouraging for Messi's chances of investing in a league team given Beckham, who played for LA Galaxy from 2007 to 2012 and now owns a rival club, is a former player.
Additionally, Messi wants to make the most of his current sponsorship agreements with Adidas and Apple, both of which have ties to Major League Soccer and stand to benefit from the 35-year-old's move to the US.
His presence creates a significant opportunity for MLS, which has a $250 million annual streaming pact with Apple TV and has the potential to make more money from
That appears to be an achievable aim for MLS now that Messi has joined the team, which is probably what drove the decision to bring him to Miami.
The fact that the 2026 World Cup will be held in North America is undoubtedly a benefit, even though Messi has stated he doesn't plan to play in another World Cup at age 39. Messi would be able to take use of his current endorsement relationships in the US rather than having to uproot his family for a month and move them abroad.
Miami itself may have attracted Messi to the United States more than Saudi wealth or Barcelona's reputation.
First, Messi previously spent a family vacation in South Florida in 2021.
He may be seen swimming with his wife, Roccuzzo, and his three sons, Thiago (born in 2012), Mateo (2015), and Ciro (2018), in pictures from his Instagram account.
Later, Messi was spotted at a nearby restaurant where he was surrounded by adoring supporters who seemed to know him well.
Messi was so taken with Miami that he spent $9 million on a condo there in the Porsche Design Tower, a luxury apartment building with elevators for residents' cars.
Additionally, Miami has always provided a sanctuary for real estate investors, many
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