Lionel Messi chooses Miami over Saudi, breaking a migration pattern

Saudi Arabia's footballing league, the Saudi Pro League, has been on the rise in recent years. It has attracted some big names, and most of the hype had started after one of the most recognized names of football made a move to the league in 2022, Cristiano Ronaldo to Al Nassr FC. 

We all know about the eye-watering figures that Ronaldo is currently earning at Al Nassr, which most of the football fan-base is considering as the pushing factor in the decision of other players like Ronaldo’s former Real Madrid teammate Karim Benzema and French international and Chelsea midfielder, N’Golo Kante following the Portuguese captain to Asia by finalising deals with Al-Ittihad Club. But, the pattern has been put to a sudden, rather shocking break by the recent World Cup winner, Lionel Messi .

Inter Miami's surprise entry 

Messi had been heavily linked with a much prayed-for move to his former club FC Barcelona or one to the Saudi club Al Hilal SC ever since the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner announced his decision to leave Paris Saint Germain FC. In the midst of these huge links, one could say the possibilities of David Beckham’s Inter Miami CF pulling of what can be regarded as one of the biggest transfers in the history of football were very slim.

The chances of Messi joining the American side were indeed on a rise in 2021 when Messi had to leave Barcelona after his contract at the Catalonian club expired, but the chances of the move happening this year and that too after Saudi Arabia had made such a huge impact in the market, seemed to pop up to reality out of nowhere.

NO to Barca and Al Hilal CF

On one hand, the move to Barcelona might have given the humongous fan-base of the Argentine a reason for hosting a week-long carnival worldwide, the financial fair play regulations followed by the entirety of the Spanish league, La Liga made the dream seemingly lengthy and unsure. On the other hand, Al Hilal had offered Messi an alleged $1.6 billion contract which would have made Messi one of the top earning athletes of all time.

It is safe to say that the whole world had their jaws dropped when renowned Spanish football journalist Guillem Balagué made a tweet on Messi joining the American side.

The claim from the Spaniard was soon followed by the “HERE WE GO!!” tweet by the most trusted name when it comes to football, Italian sports journalist, Fabrizio Romano, which could be said to be the ultimate confirmation of the move.

The details of Messi’s contract at Inter Miami CF are yet to be made public but one thing is for sure, this move has surely spiked up the MLS to a significantly higher level in the football world.