Lionel Messi transfer to Inter Miami looks well deserved pension. Big salary, decent league level and resort town. What else is required for a peaceful end of a career? However, the management probably expects that Leo will help in the fight for the championship.
The club has already made a colorful presentation of the Argentine in social networks. First, fans were shown a video in which artists draw graffiti with a silhouette of a football player and a greeting. Then Messi himself took up a can of paint, wrote his last name and said: «Yes, guys. See you in Miami.» Leo will play for the new team at number 10.
A brash, big-money rookie, Inter Miami arrived in 2018. The team was assembled by David Beckham and a group of investors. Since 2020, the club has been playing in Major League Soccer (MLS). In the very first season, the team from Florida jumped into the play-in — play-offs for the right to play in the playoffs. And in the last draw, he immediately jumped to sixth place in the Eastern Conference.
Success is associated with serious investments. Beckham and partners spared no expense. The payroll in his debut year was fourth in the league. The main stars in that team were Gonzalo Higuain and Blaise Matuidi.
Veterans completed their careers at the end of last year. I had to re-assemble the clip. The line-up was seriously updated in the winter, but head coach Phil Neville did not cope with the tasks. In the spring, Inter Miami lost six games in a row and Beckham's former partner in Manchester United retired. However, the main events in the life of the club are not connected with the mentor. Messi has arrived in town.
Who will Leo play with? Now the team is only 11th in terms of salaries. Change thrown “Inter Miami” in last place in the conference. But now there is a place in the «payment» for signing strong partners to help the Argentinean.
Leo uses the «designated player» rule. MLS clubs can pay as much as they want to up to three players per team. The rest must fit within the framework. Therefore, there are practically no stars. The highest paid is Joseph Martinez. The Venezuelan striker has previously played several seasons with Young Boys and Torino. The rest are players from Central and South America who have hardly played in Europe.
Messi alone is hardly capable of pulling out such partners. Therefore, Inter Miami is trying to attract Leo's former partners in Barcelona. Already announced the signing of Sergio Busquets, and are also close to signing a contract with Jordi Alba. Buffs like these give the club an opportunity to compete for the playoffs.
Familiar Coach MLS coaches are little known outside the continent. Of course, they know Wayne Rooney, but first of all as a player. The only really serious coach is Bruce Arena. Previously, he led the US national team.
«Inter Miami» also tried. After sacking Neville, the club took on former Barcelona and Argentina coach Gerardo Martino. Of course, Messi is familiar with this specialist. At the same time, MLS is not a new championship for him. Martineau worked at Atlanta United and led them to the 2018 title. By the way, Martinez, mentioned above, became the top scorer of the club then.
Messi will make his debut on July 21 — in the League Cup against the Mexican Cruz Azul. The MLS season will resume at the end of August. There are 12 games left before the end of the regular season. Now Inter Miami is 11 points short of the playoff zone.
A strong coach, a couple of old partners, strong role players. What else do you need to try to take the championship? After all, now there is an Argentinean wizard in the team.
The opinion of the author may not coincide with the position of the editors
