Inter Miami lift the lid on their THREE-YEAR Lionel Messi chase with help from David Beckham | CPT PPP Coverage

Inter Miami’s co-owner Jorge Mas has lifted the lid on his incredibly three-year pursuit to bring Lionel Messi to Major League Soccer.

Messi is set to have his move to Miami officially confirmed any day now, after publicly revealing he is bound for Major League Soccer after his two-year spell in Paris Saint-Germain.

Messi, considered by many as the best soccer player ever, will lead an explosion of interest in soccer in the US and his presence will galvanize the reputation of MLS across the globe.

Now, speaking to French publication El Pais, Mas has revealed just how much work it took to bring Messi to the States in a move that will almost definitely see the 36-year-old finish his career in the country.

‘In 2019, we started thinking about how we could bring him in,’ Mas said. ‘Messi can turn MLS into one of the two or three biggest leagues in the world.

‘I think he comes with the desire to leave his mark, and he will be able to do so beyond football. When he retires he will have a stake in the club. I imagine a life after football for Messi very similar to that of David Beckham or Michael Jordan.’

Mas revealed he needed help from his co-owner Beckham – and new MLS broadcaster Apple – to get the deal over the line.

‘I spent three years on it, a year and a half very intensely. There were many conversations with Jorge (Messi’s father). David talked to Leo, only about football issues, because he was a player.

‘We spoke in Barcelona, Miami, Rosario, Doha… I spent the whole World Cup in Qatar, watching Argentina. The Apple contract was very important to close the deal.’

Mas hinted that the follow-up signing of Sergio Busquets, who played alongside Messi in their iconic, all-conquering Barcelona team, is a sign of things to come. He says it is ‘essential’ Miami surround Messi with players of his level.

But when he makes his debut – at present, believed to be on July 21 against Cruz Azul – Messi will be, by far, the star.

Miami are last in the MLS Eastern Conference, 10 points adrift of the playoff places. But the snapped a seven-game losing streak on Saturday night at least with 1-1 tie against Austin FC.

Tata Martino, who coached Messi once at Barcelona, was this week appointed as Miami’s new coach. 

Martino was unsurprisingly thrilled at Messi’s impending arrival and insists the Argentina star is ready to take MLS by storm. 

‘I spoke to Leo and yesterday spoke to Sergio,’ Martino said on Thursday. ‘Sometimes people hear Miami and they think holidays. 

‘But these two players are not coming here for a vacation, they are here to work and compete and win. That is in their blood.

‘That the best in the world decides to play in this league will help the growth. It is already growing, but the presence of Messi playing here in this league will surely make MLS better.’ 

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