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Messi is having a dream start at Inter Miami with the help of legendary midfielder David Beckham.
Lionel Messi becomes the new face of MLS. That was always a given when he confirmed Inter Miami as his next destination after leaving Paris Saint-Germain, but he proved in two games that his move to his new team was more than just a marketing ploy. My first match for my new team.
Messi made a successful debut in the Leagues Cup match against Cruz Azul by scoring from a corner kick in the 94th minute to end Miami’s 11-match winless streak, and continued his impressive form with an impressive double in a 4-0 victory over Atlanta United. Messi fever has spread everywhere in America, and no one is enjoying it more than Miami’s owner, David Beckham.
When Miami was awarded an MLS expansion spot in 2018, Beckham pledged to build the best team in the league, before adding: “I think Miami needs a star. You have to realize our audience and Miami expects us to bring in a star. That’s what we’re planning on doing.”
At that time, Messi was still only playing for one club in Europe, Barcelona. But Miami tried to make him their “star” when his relationship with Barcelona began to show bad signs.
It can be said that Messi could not appear in MLS right now without Beckham. And the growing friendship between him and the Argentinian star also brings joy to fans in the United States and around the world.
‘Dream comes true’
Beckham initially paved the way for the immigration of top players to MLS when he joined LA Galaxy after leaving Real Madrid in 2007. It was written into Beckham’s contract that he could buy a team. ball for just $25 million, and he used this interest in 2014 to create Inter Miami.
It was the former England international who pointed to the potential of soccer in the United States and MLS as a global brand. And the early signs certainly suggest that Messi is fully capable of pulling it off.
The World Cup-winning star’s unveiling at DRV PNK Stadium was a glittering event with 21,000 people turning out to watch him show off his new number 10 shirt. The event was delayed by a heavy thunderstorm, with Miami director Mas describing the rain as “holy water” as he eventually led Messi to a specially made stage in the middle of the field alongside his brother Jose and Beckham.
Miami then released images of Messi’s official signing at the club’s offices, with Beckham standing beside him like a proud father. The Manchester United legend has had a fantastic playing career, but he seems to be getting just as much joy by seeing his vision for Miami become a reality after years of hard work.
“I never thought I would have the same feeling as an owner as I do as a player,” Beckham said in a recent interview with The Athletic. “When I got the phone call [to let knowing Messi had chosen Miami], I had the feeling I had when I walked out onto Old Trafford or Wembley. I thought, ‘We’ve just beaten everyone to sign the greatest player to ever play the game. we'”
Leo Messi is an important name in Inter Miami’s project
Messi has had to deal with criticism that he took the easy route by joining Miami, but one look at the Eastern Conference standings is enough to silence these words. Martino’s team is bottom of the table after 22 matches and will need a miracle to reach the MLS playoffs. But Miami fans will dream of that scenario after Messi’s impressive debut in the football country. The Argentina international did not come to America to start gradually slowing down his career, as his first two performances in Pink Miami demonstrated.
Beckham affirmed that Messi shares his passion for the project at DRV PNK Stadium, and they are working together with the same goal of turning Miami into a real powerhouse in MLS. “There were a lot of people who did a great job getting me to LA when the league was struggling, but they had vision and commitment,” Beckham said in a chat with The Athletic. “I think Leo saw that and thought, ‘OK, this is an opportunity.’ He also realized that this was a long-term project.
“Leo has won everything a footballer can win. The World Cup has to be the icing on the cake,” Beckham continued. “He sees this as a project, a legacy and I don’t think many players see that. They see opportunities to play football in different locations, but Leo sees him as more than just changing the face of football in this country, he can also inspire the next generation and there is no better way to do that than to step onto our pitch in Miami and make everyone kids talk about him, watch him and learn from him. He also wants to make the game bigger and better in this country – he can do it, he will do it and he did it. Not only did all of Miami talk about Leo, but all of America, and all of the world talked about him.
The connection between Messi and Beckham will be an important factor for MLS and football in general. Mas asserted that MLS could become one of the top two leagues in the world after signing Messi, and that is not far-fetched anymore.
Fueled by a superstar friendship that captured the hearts of an entire nation overnight, the sky’s the limit for Miami – and you won’t want to miss a second.