David Beckham reveals post-retirement plan for Lionel Messi
The Inter Miami co-owner wants to ensure that Messi’s impact on soccer in the United States goes beyond his MLS performances.
David Beckham’s plan for Lionel Messi goes far beyond the on-field exploits. The Inter Miami co-owner has revealed that he wants to ensure that the Argentine has a permanent impact on soccer in the United States.
After Messi left Paris Saint-Germain in the summer he was subject to interest from all around the world, but Beckham and co-owners Jorge and Jose Mas pushed to bring Messi to Miami. He has proved his worth on the pitch and Beckham wants to ensure that his influence continues beyond his playing career.
“I see Leo’s involvement in the league a lot longer than his playing time,” Beckham told The Times. “We are very keen to keep him to help attract players and be involved with the football development of the club and football in the US. I think that will be a lot of fun for him as it’s been for me.”
Messi’s contract ensures that he will be given a stake in Inter Miami when he hangs up his boots, helping to tie him to the club going forward.
Hispanic links helped bring Messi to Miami
Messi’s arrival in Miami was the single biggest transfer in the history of MLS. It may prove to be the most consequential in US soccer history if Messi can truly capture the attention of the nation’s sports fans.
Bringing him to the league, in the face of far more lucrative offers elsewhere, was not easy and the Miami co-owners had to utilise the city’s unique Hispanic culture to tempt Messi to MLS.
Jorge Mas explained: “It was very difficult to compete solely on an economic basis but we had our city, what it represents, but also a place where his family could enjoy themselves.”
“Miami is the unofficial capital of the Americas, a bilingual city. The majority of the population is Hispanic from south and central America and I think that was an extremely attractive thing for Lionel.”
Beckham delights in watching Messi on the training ground
The deal to sign Messi was the culmination of a years-long pursuit, spearheaded by Beckham. Just as, 15 years earlier, the Englishman moved from Real Madrid with the aim of boosting interest in MLS, Messi’s arrival was heralded as a turning point for soccer in the US.
There was enormous excitement when Messi was announced as an Inter Miami player and few were more excited than the co-owner. In his interview with The Times, Beckham revealed that he would arrive at the training ground at 7am once Messi landed.
“I wanted to see him come in, see him go about everything he does so professionally, setting an example to all the young kids here,” Beckham explained.
“He is a superstar, but the most humble superstar. And I just love to watch him train. Anyone who has seen him live knows he’s different, special.”