In a world where soccer players are traded like Pokémon cards, Lionel Messi, the Pikachu of football, shocked us all. On June 7, 2023, he announced his move to Inter Miami, a club owned by none other than soccer’s very own Charizard, David Beckham. After a two-year stint with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), following his tearful adieu to Barcelona, Messi decided to take his talents to South Beach. But why, you ask? Let’s dive into the trivia treasure chest and find out!
Fact 1: The Countdown to Contract’s End
Messi’s contract with PSG was ticking away faster than a time bomb in a James Bond movie, set to explode in June 2023. But instead of defusing it, Messi decided to let it blow and make a run for it – all the way to Major League Soccer (MLS) team, Inter Miami. The club reportedly lured Messi with a tantalizing $54m (£43m) per year for four years. Talk about a golden parachute!
Fact 2: The Saudi Arabian Siren Song
Messi was serenaded by a Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal with a whopping €400m (£344m) deal. It was like a siren song, but the seasoned sailor Messi didn’t fall for it. He was also linked with a potential return to his former club, Barcelona. But, like a terrible breakup, Messi didn’t want to go down that road again.
Fact 3: The Miami Lifestyle Lure
More than beachside mojitos influenced Messi’s Miami move. He wanted to escape the European spotlight and focus on his family. Plus, who wouldn’t want to own a piece of their workplace? Messi’s contract is expected to pave the way for him to have an ownership stake after retirement. Talk about planning for the future!
Fact 4: The Apple of Messi’s Eye
The deal with Inter Miami also includes complex sponsorship deals with Apple and Adidas. Messi’s move to MLS is expected to drive viewers to Apple TV.
Fact 5: The Underdog Story
Inter Miami is currently the underdog in the 15-team Eastern Conference, with just five wins from 16 matches. But with Messi on their side, who knows? They might go from zero to hero. After all, everyone loves a good underdog story!
News Trivia Quiz Time
Now that you know all the facts about Lionel Messi’s Miami move, how about a news quiz?
Sources
We cross-checked our trivia facts about Lionel Messi’s Miami move with the world’s leading news providers. Here are the articles we read for this post.
- Sky News: Lionel Messi to join David Beckhams Inter Miami
- BBC Sport: Lionel Messi to join Inter Miami after leaving Paris St-Germain
- ESPN: Lionel Messi to join MLS side Inter Miami after PSG exit
- Reuters: I’m going to Miami – Messi confirms move to MLS
- The Guardian: Lionel Messi confirms he will spurn Barcelona and Saudis for Inter Miami in MLS
