By Canadian Press

Lionel Messi says he’s joining Inter Miami and coming to Major League Soccer

Jun 7, 2023 | 1:22 PM

MIAMI (AP) —

Lionel Messi says he is coming to Inter Miami and joining Major League Soccer.

After months of speculation, Messi announced his decision Wednesday to join a Miami franchise that has been led by another global soccer icon in David Beckham since its inception but has yet to make any real splashes on the field.

That likely will soon change. One of Inter Miami’s owners, Jorge Mas, tweeted out a photo of a darkly silhouetted Messi jersey shortly before the Argentinian great revealed his decision in interviews with Spanish news outlets Mundo Deportivo and Sport.

It was widely believed that Messi eventually would choose to play for Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia, following fellow great and his longtime rival Cristiano Ronaldo to a nation where some clubs now are funded by the state’s sovereign wealth fund. Going back to Barcelona, a storied franchise that he spent most of his career with, was another possibility.

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But in the end, he made the call that surprised many. Messi is joining MLS.

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More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Tim Reynolds, The Associated Press