David Beckham hugs Lionel Messi.Photo:Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images
Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images
David Beckham, 48, managed to bring one of the biggest international athletes stateside, and the magnitude of that feat is hardly lost on him.
In July, the former soccer player and co-owner of Inter Miami FCofficially welcomedLionel Messi, 36, to the South Florida-based soccer club, and he’s been on cloud nine since. Of course, getting a player of Messi’s caliber to sign didn’t come easy, as the Argentine soccer legend was in high demand.
However, the stiff competition didn’t dissuade Beckham, who managed to snag the soccer superstar for just over $20.4 million,per CBS News. “It still gives me goosebumps,” he toldThe Times of Londonof the moment he found out Messi would be coming to Inter Miami.
David Beckham with Lionel Messi.CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty
CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty
Though soccer (known elsewhere as football) is massively popular globally, it’s only recently rose to prominence in the U.S. Beckham and Thierry Henry are some of the noted international players who have signed to Major League Soccer teams in an effort to bring more visibility to U.S.-based teams. So, onboarding a player as prolific as Messi was also a strategic move for the Inter Miami owner.
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“I said, ‘How many elite athletes have had the opportunity to change a sport in a country?’ It is transformational for the sport in the United States," Beckham toldThe Timesof his initial pitch. “This is just the beginning. His presence, medium to long-term, will prove that this league belongs among the world’s best leagues over time.”
This is hardly the first time Beckham has been open about his reverence for Messi.
In July, when the superstar officially joined the Inter Miami team, Beckham introduced Messi to a sold-out crowd at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida — andcalled Messi’s arrival a “dream come true.”
Lionel Messi with Inter Miami FC owners.CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty
“Ten years ago, I started my journey to build a new MLS team,” Beckham said,per ESPN. “I said then, I dreamt of bringing the best players in the world to South Florida and to the great city of Miami. Players who shared our ambition to grow soccer in this country … We are so happy that you are all here to celebrate this incredible moment.”
He continued, “So please forgive me for feeling a little bit emotional tonight. It truly is a dream come true to welcome Lionel Messi to Inter Miami … Bienvenido a La Familia.”
source: people.com
