One of the most shocking transfers in world football in recent years was completed on Wednesday when Lionel Messi announced that he would be joining Inter Miami FC after two years at Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), over Barcelona.
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Messi subsequently granted interviews to Catalan newspapers "Sport" and "Mundo Deportivo" to explain the surprising move.
"I really wanted to return to Barcelona, it was my dream," he said. "But after what happened two years ago when I left, I didn't want to be in the same situation again, leaving my future to others. I wanted to make my own decisions, thinking about myself and my family.”
"I heard that the league gave a green light to Barcelona's plan, but the truth is that many things were missing for my return to be possible. I didn't want to be responsible for the team having to sell players or cut salaries. I’ve had many false claims directed at me throughout my career at Barcelona, and I got tired of it,” he added.
"It's reasonable to assume there were people in the club who didn't want me to return, just like what happened when I left. I'm sure there's a part of the management that thinks my return isn’t right for the club,” Messi said.
“It feels like an open wound because I didn't get to say goodbye to the fans the way I wanted, as other players did. I was presented as the villain in the story, and I didn't like it. I would’ve liked to have a proper farewell, in a way that I feel is right," he added.
Messi also commented on the possibility of returning to Barcelona in a professional role. "It's clear that I’d like to be close to the club. I don't know when, but I hope that one day I can contribute something to the club and help it because it's a club that I love, as I’ve always said. I appreciate the love I received from people here throughout my career, and I’d like to be here again," he said.
On the reports that his former teammates Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba would join him, he said, "Saying that I was going to the same club with Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets was a lie. No, we never agreed to join the same club. I made my decision to join Miami, I don't know what they're going to do."
"If money was the issue, I would’ve signed with Saudi Arabia. My decision is based on other factors," Messi added.
According to reports, the player signed a four-year contract with Miami, earning an estimated €50 million per year. He’ll also benefit from various sponsorship agreements with major companies like Adidas and Apple, which are involved in the deal.
Furthermore, sources in Miami revealed that part of Messi's offer includes acquiring ownership stakes in the club after his retirement, and there are estimations that he’ll also receive stock options in the companies which are sponsoring him.
Talking about his two years at PSG, Messi said that "I leave with mixed feelings. The truth is that the first year in the club was difficult for me due to various reasons. In the second year, I felt really good during the first six months, but the World Cup affected many teams. I hoped this season would end differently. These were two rough years for me, but they’re behind me."
Through the years, the legendary player expressed his desire to finish his career in the U.S., and Inter Miami pursued him for quite some time before signing him. In Florida, and Miami in particular, there’s a very high percentage of Spanish speakers, which will undoubtedly assist him in quickly acclimating to the city.
Messi won’t be the only World Cup champion playing in Major League Soccer (MLS). Atlanta United's star, Thiago Almada, was part of the Argentina national team for the World Cup. After the tournament, he became the first active MLS player ever to win the World Cup.