Former Manchester United and Real Madrid player, David Beckham, recently talked about why he felt emotional when Lionel Messi transferred to Inter Miami.
Beckham, who is now a co-owner of Inter Miami, was the first big-name player to join Major League Soccer (MLS) while still in his prime after playing top-level soccer in Europe for most of his career. This moment of Messi joining Inter Miami has been a long time coming, and Beckham acknowledged its significance.
“Ten years ago, I started my journey to build a new MLS team,” Beckham said. “I said then, I dreamt of bringing the best players in the world to South Florida and to the great city to Miami.
“Players who shared our ambition to grow soccer in this country … We are so happy that you are all here to celebrate this incredible moment.
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“So please forgive me for feeling a little bit emotional tonight. It truly is a dream come true to welcome Lionel Messi to Inter Miami … Bienvenido a La Familia.”
The event announcing Messi’s transfer was delayed by two hours due to bad weather. The stadium grounds were pelted with heavy rain, and lightning lit up the sky. However, despite the weather conditions, everyone was determined to attend this special occasion.
In addition to Messi, another former teammate of his from Barcelona, Sergio Busquets, was also introduced as an Inter Miami player after signing his contract with the club on Sunday.