Beckham calls, World Cup champion answers
Former football star David Beckham spent 5 years, with much effort and perseverance, recruiting Lionel Messi before Inter Miami officially played in MLS (from 2020). Now, he continues to take another step forward as he has long cherished: keeping the World Cup champion in Miami (USA) for as long as possible.
Messi and Beckham have a profound influence on American football
"Our idea is that Messi will stay at the club even after he retires. Messi's impact on the whole of American soccer is not only on the field, but also off the field," Beckham shared in interviews about the deal to recruit Messi from July 2023.
To establish Inter Miami (in January 2018), former England player David Beckham used the clause he had when he signed a contract to play for LA Galaxy in 2007: the right to establish a team in the MLS (USA). After retiring, the 49-year-old former player was allowed to buy a franchise from the MLS for only about 25 million USD, according to Sun Sport (UK), to establish Inter Miami with his partner, billionaire Jorge Mas. Inter Miami currently owns a star-studded squad, including 4 famous players from Barcelona: Messi, Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba.
Messi and other Inter Miami stars
AFP
The franchise clause will also apply to Messi after joining Inter Miami, but he will have the right to own part of the club without having to exercise the buyout option. "This is the wish of David Beckham and billionaire co-owner of Inter Miami, Mr. Jorge Mas, who has a net worth of more than $ 1.3 billion. Convinced by the sincerity of Beckham and Mr. Jorge Mas, Messi will activate the ownership clause of the club to become part of the team and take control, possibly related to football issues, as the famous player has confessed many times before," said Sun Sport.
"The goose that lays the golden eggs"
According to Forbes Magazine (USA), Messi owns assets of more than 650 million USD. Since coming to the US, he and his wife Antonela and their 3 sons have enjoyed a luxurious and happy life in South Florida, where they just bought a luxury villa worth nearly 10 million USD.
Messi's salary at Inter Miami is between $40 and $50 million a year. In addition, he also has income from personal agreements on television copyright and jersey sales with technology company Apple and apparel company Adidas. In return, just half a season ago, Messi helped Inter Miami more than double its revenue to nearly $120 million. In the 2024 season, revenue is expected to skyrocket to more than $200 million. This revenue is thanks to the Messi effect causing a fierce ticket fever, skyrocketing advertising and Inter Miami's epic pre-season tour in Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong and Japan.
Power duo
AFP
Messi’s influence has also helped double MLS streaming subscriptions on Apple TV, while home teams hosting Inter Miami have benefited from increased ticket sales. The club has also seen its value increase significantly, with a valuation of more than $1 billion.
With these successes, David Beckham and Jorge Mas want Messi to become part of the club with ownership, specifically holding the position of long-term co-president of the team after he retires. Messi currently has a contract with Inter Miami until December 2025 with the option to extend the following year. The famous player recently shared that he "will play until he feels he can no longer contribute or support his teammates, then consider retiring".
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