Lionel Messi will continue his career in the MLS. The attacker announced in an interview with the Catalan newspapers SPORT and Mundo Deportivo on Wednesday evening that he has opted for an adventure at Inter Miami FC.
Messi confirms move to the United States
News trickled out on Wednesday morning that two options remained for 35-year-old Messi: return to Barcelona or move to America. The Saudi adventure at Al-Hilal would have already been shot by then. In the afternoon, Messi disappointed Barcelona: he will not return to Camp Nou.
Messi played no fewer than 778 games for Barcelona before transferring to Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer two years ago. In the past season, the attacker was good for sixteen goals and sixteen assists with the champion of France. Despite these good numbers, it never seemed that Messi would extend his contract in Paris. The supporters in the Parc des Princes regularly jeered him and even treated him to a whistle concert before his farewell match.
Seven-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi, who became world champion with Argentina in December, is now leaving Europe behind.
“If I chose the money, I would have gone to Saudi Arabia”
Lionel Messi continues his career in the United States, but could have made a different choice. The attacker says that he has also received an offer from a European club other than Barcelona. And then, of course, there was the call from Saudi Arabia.
Much has been written in recent weeks about a mega offer that Al-Hilal would like to make to Messi. According to rumors, the attacker could earn no less than 400 million euros a year. Whether that is correct, Messi did not want to confirm or deny. “But at least I didn’t make a choice for the money. If that were the case, I would have gone to Saudi Arabia,” he said.
Messi actually wanted to go back to Barcelona, but on reflection that didn’t seem like such a good idea. “I got another offer from another European team, but I didn’t even look at it. In Europe, I would only like to play for Barcelona,” Messi tells SPORT and Mundo Deportivo. “I now want to experience football in a different way and enjoy life more. Of course with the same responsibility and will to win, but calmer.”
Messi consciously steps out of the spotlight. “I’m in a phase where I want to think more about my family,” says the world champion. He denies that talks have been held with former teammates about a possible reunion. He concluded, “I already read that I would go to Saudi Arabia with Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba and that everything was already arranged. We never had such conversations at all. Everyone makes a choice for their own future. I haven’t made any arrangements with anyone.”
