Reports: Lionel Messi to Play in the U.S. for Miami

Lionel Messi, who is considered one of the greatest soccer players ever, is going to play for Miami’s Major League Soccer team, according to reports on Wednesday.

Messi will sign an incentive-laden deal with Inter Miami CF, sources say. It comes not long after soccer star Karim Benzema signed a deal - purportedly in the hundreds of thousands of dollars - to play in Saudi Arabia alongside another all-time great, Cristiano Ronaldo. Messi had been linked to a move to Saudi Arabia, too, but in the end he chose the U.S., sources said.

Yahoo Sports reported that Messi’s deal includes contracts with Apple and Adidas.

Messi just wrapped up his season with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) after spending two years with the club. He previously played for Barcelona, where he made his mark as one of the all-time greats, if not becoming the GOAT himself.

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While playing for his home country, Argentina, Messi won the World Cup in 2022 after finishing second in 2014.

Part of Miami’s ownership includes British soccer legend David Beckham, whose arrival in the U.S. in 2007 caused a massive surge of interest in MLS games. Experts expect Messi’s arrival to have even more of an impact.

The closest MLS teams to Northern Michigan are in Chicago, Toronto, Columbus and Cincinnati.