1. At the peak of his Barcelona career, Real Madrid tried to sign Lionel Messi . When the failures left Leo filled with disappointment and anger, he called Pep Guardiola to reunite at Man City.

However, in both cases, he did not leave Barca: the first time because he did not want to wear the Real Madrid shirt, the second time because he did not want to sue Blaugrana.

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Messi finds joy at Inter Miami. Photo: EFE

At that time, Messi's career was predicted to become a "one club man" symbol - like Carles Puyol. But in 2021, when everything was ready to sign a new contract, Barcelona let him go.

What Messi didn't find at PSG, he got at Inter Miami: a haven, now a global stage.

To get Messi to Inter Miami , major shareholder Jorge Mas built financial bridges with Jorge Messi, Leo's father and agent; while president David Beckham took charge of handling his emotions.

However, the most important factor came from Joan Laporta. According to sources from the coaching staff of Xavi Hernandez, the Barca coach at that time, the Catalan club officials did everything to prevent Messi from returning in 2023.

2. During the final period in Paris, especially when he was booed by PSG fans after the 2022 World Cup in which Argentina won against France, Messi often talked to Xavi about the possibility of returning to Barca.

“The contract offer never came. Leo felt they didn’t want him back, afraid of being cheated like in 2021,” said a source close to Messi from Barcelona.

“I feel like a Barcelona player. We always have the thought of returning to the club in mind,” Messi said later, after settling down in Miami.

In 2021 there were around 280,000 Latin Americans living in Barcelona, ​​now there are almost 310,000, but Messi still lives quite discreetly in this city.

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Messi changes Inter Miami and American football. Photo: EFE

Messi still buys meat at his usual shop in Castelldefels, and goes for walks along the beach. If he wants to have dinner with his wife in the center, few people bother him, and even fewer invade his privacy.

“The only thing he cares about is his family being happy and enjoying a great life. That's the most important thing for Leo,” Beckham recalled Messi's wish when deciding to move to the US.

At first, Miami – home to some 320,000 Latinos – seemed like a safe haven for Messi. He didn’t need to hide much, just wearing a baseball cap, going to the movies, going to the mall, keeping up with his son’s activities at the club’s academy.

It wasn’t until one afternoon at Publix that the Fort Lauderdale residents realized they were living next door to a special guest. From then on, Messi had to start controlling his personal life, which was heavily scrutinized every time he played for Inter Miami.

3. “ Soccer is the biggest sport in the world because of its players and its huge industry. And America is the number one economy . The combination of these two factors cannot fail,” said Xavi Asensi, Inter Miami’s business director.

When Messi arrived in Miami in 2023, the club was valued at €500 million; it is now worth €1.020 billion.

“In a league where there is no risk of relegation, the value of a club is determined by its ability to generate revenue,” Asensi explained.

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Messi received his 8th Ballon d'Or while playing for Inter Miami. Photo: EFE

Inter Miami's revenue increased from 47.5 million euros to 172 million euros - a 260% increase. From the living room to the stands, the Messi effect is felt throughout MLS.

The MLS Season Pass on Apple TV attracted 300,000 new subscribers (double the previous number), while the MLS 2024 audience reached a historic milestone: 11,461,409, up 6% compared to 2023; 15% compared to 2022.

“There have been three or four big milestones in the history of soccer in the United States,” Asensi said. “Pelé’s arrival at the Cosmos (1975), the World Cup (1994), the Beckham deal (2007) and Messi (2023). Of those, Messi is the most important. Certainly because of the hyper-connected world we live in today.”

Inter Miami's Instagram account grew from 953,000 to 17.3 million followers; TikTok grew from 1 million to 11.7 million. "Let's not forget one important thing: Leo won the 2023 Ballon d'Or while playing in Miami," Asensi emphasized.

“The presence of Messi made the revenue jump crazy,” Asensi concluded. With no place left at Barca, Leo conquered America and put Inter Miami on the world football map.

The FIFA Club World Cup needs him. That's why President Gianni Infantino gave Inter Miami a special entry into the tournament.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/lionel-messi-mo-vang-cua-fifa-club-world-cup-2025-2411166.html