Club Internacional de Fútbol Miami hasn’t exactly set the MLS on fire since its inception, finishing 19th and 20th overall in its first two seasons.
This year, incremental improvements have been seen from the Inter Miami CF side boasting Gonzalo Higuaín, Alejandro Pozuelo, and DeAndre Yedlin, but a 7-10-4 record in 21 games tells the story of a team seldom worth backing in the live betting markets.
Despite all of this, Inter Miami hit the headlines in May 2022, with its superstar president, David Beckham, apparently working on bringing Lionel Messi to the club.
Tabloids whip up a hype storm for the Lionel Messi to Inter Miami story
One of two standout players of this generation coming to a downtrodden MLS club is a story that will always draw attention, with it being given some credibility by the seeds that were sewn last year.
In June 2021, co-owner Jorge Mas spoke of his and Beckham’s efforts to attract some of the best players in the world, name-checking Messi in the process.
In May 2022, many tabloid and click-bait outlets started pumping out the story of Lionel Messi buying 35 percent of Inter Miami shares before joining as a player at the end of the 2022/23 campaign.
These mostly hinged on an interview between journalist Alex Candal and DIRECTV Sports, along with the subsequent report from Spanish daily tabloid MARCA.
The main point of the quotes from Candal were that “it’s a possibility” for Messi to go to Inter Miami if he leaves Paris Saint-Germain at the end of his current contract.
Outlets that revel in the rumour mill and scroll-stopping headlines went all-in on the story, creating the Lionel Messi to Inter Miami story from what would read as little more than a hopeful opinion.
Argentinian Star Lionel Messi will join Inter Miami in 2023 when his PSG contract runs out, per @Alex_candal
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) May 17, 2022
His reported contract includes a 35% stake in the club and will be signed this August. pic.twitter.com/s2qV0kauE4
Lionel Messi to Inter Miami quickly quashed
On May 17, news broke from Le Parisien that, despite the Candal interview and the star in question being spotted with Beckham in Qatar’s capital a few days prior, the Lionel Messi to Inter Miami story was pure fiction.
Citing a source close to Messi, the story was denied in full, including the idea that Messi would invest in the club and join as a player in 2023.
The paper says that the story is “completely false” and that he “has not yet decided on his future,” which holds up in later quotes from Messi. His only plans now are to stay at PSG and assess the situation at the end of his contract.
Reports were seemingly quashed further in July when friend and former Barcelona teammate Luis Suárez – as a free agent himself – told Último al Arco de Sport 890 that playing with Messi at Inter Miami “is not real.” He later joined Nacional of his home nation, Uruguay.
That said, Inter Miami is very much keeping its name in the potential sweepstakes for Messi. The club’s chief business officer, Xavier Asensi, has made it clear that they’re considering targeting the mega-star.
Where does Lionel Messi stand on the Inter Miami interest?
Professional as ever, reports in July indicated that Lionel Messi had told Paris Saint-Germain that he won’t be willing to discuss another contract until after the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The reports come amidst PSG’s attempts to extend his current deal – which runs out on June 30, 2023 – by another year. At the very least, the Argentine is committed to seeing out his deal.
Messi has a lot to play for this season in France. Not only can he battle for another Ligue 1 title, but the 35-year-old will be hoping to show enough to get his eighth Ballon D’Or and make good on PSG’s +600 odds to win the Champions League.
Despite a late start, minor injuries, and sickness, Messi managed to put up 11 goals and 15 assists in his debut season for PSG, predominantly playing on the right of a front three that also featured Kylian Mbappé and Neymar.
In May 2022, the Lionel Messi to Inter Miami story was mostly fabricated. If he doesn’t re-sign with PSG, though, his beloved Barcelona and its manager, Xavi, have publically stated that the door is open.
*Credit for all images in this article belongs to AP Photo*
FIRST PUBLISHED: 30th July 2022
