Ditching a lucrative offer from Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal and instead of returning to Barcelona FC, Lionel Messi has decided to lend his stardom and skills to Major League Soccer (MSL) team Inter Miami. Here's a quick look at what went down
A file photo of Lionel Messi of Barcelona FC celebrates scoring his side's first goal during the UEFA Champions League in 2017 in Barcelona, Spain. Image: Alex Caparros/Getty Images
Javier Mascherano, Lionel Messi, Neymar, Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets, and Daniel Alves of FC Barcelona posing with the Cup after winning the UEFA Champions League final match between Barcelona and Juventus on June 6, 2015, at the Olympic stadium in Berlin, Germany. Image: VI Images via Getty Images
After leaving French club Paris Saint-Germain, where he played two seasons, Lionel Messi’s options included a return to the club with which he had spent his entire professional career since 2004, before leaving in 2021. With FC Barcelona, Messi won a record 34 trophies—10 La Liga titles, seven Copa del Reys and four UEFA Champions leagues.
Joan Laporta, President of FC Barcelona. Image: Marc Graupera Alomá / AFP7 via Getty Images
Barca and Messi fans were hoping for a miracle; and earlier in the week when Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano, the go-to person for football transfer news, tweeted that Messi’s dad Jorge Messi and Barcelona President Joan Laporta were in talks, there was hope in the air. “Leo wants to return to Barcelona and I’d love to see him back to Barca,” Romano tweeted, quoting Messi Sr. “Barca move is an option for sure,” added Jorge.
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