Lionel Messi has finally opted to join Major League Soccer team Inter Miami, rejecting a sizable offer from Saudi Arabia in the process.
Fans are now yearning to find out what specifically about the U.S. league’s offer convinced Lionel Messi to make the decision. The 35-year-old superstar has been deliberating on his future team since choosing to end his two-year deal with Paris Saint-Germain.
Messi spent his time in Paris without ever taking home a Champions League trophy, but he did manage to lead Argentina to victory in the 2022 FIFA World Cup, demonstrating that his skills are still among the best in the world.
According to the player, his deal is almost finalized, thus The Sporting News is providing you with all the information we are aware of on his agreement with Inter Miami and Major League Soccer.
Messi contract & salary with Inter Miami, MLS
The contract offer Messi allegedly accepted from MLS team Inter Miami is now unknown very little.
According to the Spanish newspaper Sport, Messi has been given a four-year contract, although Matteo Moretto of Relevo thinks it “should be” a two-year arrangement. Almost no precise information on his contract’s financials is available, and there isn’t much else.
It seems unlikely that Messi, who is 35 years old, would agree to a four-year contract with any team, but there may be valid justifications. For the initial part of his deal, Messi may be loaned to Barcelona, allowing him to play for the team he loves before concluding his career in Miami. Furthermore, given that a four-year deal would expire after the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Messi may be planning to end his career at that tournament.
The Athletic reports that one thing we do know is that Apple and Adidas are both contributing to the deal’s sweetening. Apple has offered a portion of MLS Season Pass subscription earnings, and Adidas has also proposed a profit-sharing deal under which Messi will receive a portion of any gains resulting from his relocation.
The fact that Major League Soccer is a “single entity” means that all contracts with MLS players must be formally filed with the league and not the team. Players are then assigned to teams according to a predetermined procedure.
There was a brief news that MLS had offered Messi some sort of ownership deal when rumors about Lionel Messi and Inter Miami first started to circulate over a year ago.
The majority of reports indicated that Messi would be given a 35 percent stake in Inter Miami, and some further suggested that Major League Soccer might create a franchise option akin to the one David Beckham received when he signed on in 2007, which allowed him to own an expansion team for just $25 million—a tiny fraction of the standard expansion fee.
Messi receiving a Beckham-like offer from MLS to own a team is very improbable given how openly Major League Soccer has discussed how challenging the practicalities of such a relationship turned out to be.
But it’s absolutely feasible that Messi may eventually own a small portion of the Miami team, either now or after he retires. In reality, according to an ESPN story, Messi’s Inter Miami offer includes a possibility of acquiring club stock, but categorically excludes any form of financial assistance akin to what Beckham received.
