Argentine superstar Lionel Messi just announced his decision to join the Major League club Inter Miami.

“I made the decision that I am going to Miami. I still haven’t closed it one hundred percent. I’m missing some things, but we decided to continue my journey there,” the 2022 FIFA World Cup winner said in an interview.

The announcement shook the entire soccer space months after Messi won the Golden Ball award at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. After completing his trophy cabinet with the most prestigious award in the sport, he threw us a curveball following rumors of a lucrative deal in the Middle East and even reports of an FC Barcelona return.

The Lionel Messi Era in the MLS Starts Now

Inter Miami CF Signing

Messi’s relationship with Inter Miami CF co-owner David Beckham heavily influenced the move. The English soccer star is a huge fan of Messi. He even teased in 2019 that “You never know what can happen” when asked about signing the four-time UEFA Champions League winner.

MLS said the deal is only reaching its final stages. Nevertheless, the United States-based league welcomed the prospect of Messi joining the league.

“We are pleased that Lionel Messi has stated that he intends to join Inter Miami and Major League Soccer this summer,” the league said in a Wednesday statement. “Although work remains to finalize a formal agreement, we look forward to welcoming one of the greatest soccer players of all time to our League.”

Not even 24 hours before the announcement, MLS sold tens and thousands of tickets, sales skyrocketed, and Inter Miami’s Instagram following spiked by over four million. Messi is no more than a month away from suiting up in the United States for the first time. Before that, he will travel to Asia for a pair of friendlies with the Argentina international team. Sources say his official signing with the team happens in the first week of July.

What Does Messi bring to the table?

The 35-year-old has yet to play his first Inter Miami CF match. However, he’s already the most accomplished player to play in the league’s 30 years of existence. After spending two decades playing in La Liga and against Europe’s toughest clubs, Messi won 37 trophies, including 12 league titles and four Champions League trophies. That run included a pair of European trebles–a feat only 12 players accomplished. The icing on the cake is his recent accolade in the FIFA World Cup, which he won last year. Messi also received the Ballon d’Or a record seven times–two more than his long-time rival, Cristiano Ronaldo.

In hindsight, the deal means the iconic athlete won’t follow Cristiano Ronaldo and French striker Karim Benzema in a move to Saudi Arabia. Despite the Mideast Gulf country gaining traction in terms of signing big-name players, Messi’s rejection of a reported $400 million deal is a blow to Ridayh’s bid to attract the sports’ biggest players to its league.

Ultimately, the MLS has never seen a player of his caliber. There’s no other player like the little magician. But, that doesn’t mean the league welcomed multiple all-time greats like Kaka, Wayne Rooney, Steven Gerrard, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and David Beckham. Everyone is excited to see Messi grace the Florida pitch and take his talent to a more foreign environment.

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