Lionel Messi of French professional soccer’s Paris Saint-Germain is moving to American Major League Soccer’s Inter Miami.
Despite rumors of a return to his hometown team Barcelona and a move to Saudi Arabia, he decided to head to the United States, saying he wanted to play soccer in a different way. Lionel Messi, the “God of Soccer,” chose to play in the United States, not his hometown of Barcelona or Saudi Arabia. His next stop is MLS side Inter Miami, and Messi himself confirmed in an interview with Spanish media that a transfer is in the works. “The transfer process is not 100% finished, but I will continue to work on going to Miami.” Inter Miami posted a video on their official social media channels hinting at Messi’s arrival, and the MLS office also released a welcoming statement. Rumors of a move for Messi, whose contract with club Paris Saint-Germain ends at the end of the month, have been circulating since mid-to-late in the season. His hometown team FC Barcelona and Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal, who reportedly offered over $160 million, were among the options. But sportstotozone Messi’s final choice was to leave Europe for the United States. What Messi wanted most was to return to Barcelona, but the club’s financial problems ultimately got in the way. “If money was important, I would have gone to Saudi Arabia, but I chose Inter Miami because I wanted to play soccer in a different way,” Messi said. Inter Miami, whose co-owner and chairman is English soccer star David Beckham, finished last in the 15-team Eastern Conference this season. Messi’s refusal to play for a European team other than Barcelona was coupled with the fact that global companies such as Apple and Adidas have backed his move to the United States. The MLS regular season runs through October, and there are speculations that Messi could make his debut as early as next month.
