Outside of FC Barcelona, Lionel Messi had offers to join Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal and MLS’ Inter Miami. After spurning the Spanish club, the 35-year-old left Europe and headed to the United States.
There are a lot of opinions regarding the Argentine opting to go to MLS; one of them is former Argentina national teammate Carlos Tevez. The ex-Manchester United star stated that Messi chose to go to Inter Miami over Saudi Arabia.
“He loves Miami,” Tevez told ESPN (h/t GOAL France). “It’s a peace of mind for him and his family. I think what he did was the right thing to do. And if it wasn’t Barcelona, where he knew he would once again become the center of attraction, it was nothing in Europe. The decision was made very well.”
Neymar Jr. believes that Messi heading to MLS will benefit the league by allowing them to grow. Many non-followers of the MLS will soon begin familiarizing themselves with the league now that Messi is on board.
However, Inter Miami will also have to do its part to ensure they build a squad that can compete for a league title and international competitions. Messi will join the South Florida-based when the Leagues Cup gets going, so the Argentine can win a trophy as soon as he enters his new club.
More must-reads: