David Beckham lifts the lid on how Lionel Messi was convinced to make Inter Miami move

David Beckham has shed light on Lionel Messi's decision to join Inter Miami, snubbing other potential suitors. Messi, the Argentinian maestro, boasts a career that is the envy of many, with 12 league titles, four Champions Leagues and eight Ballon d'Ors under his belt from his time at Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain.

Add to this his 2022 World Cup victory and two Copa America titles, it's no wonder he's hailed by many as the greatest footballer ever to grace the pitch. The majority of his career was spent at Barcelona, where he played for an impressive 17 years from 2004 to 2021.

However, he eventually left his childhood club for a new challenge at PSG. After securing two Ligue 1 titles and a Trophee des Champions, Messi was ready for another move. The star could have easily joined any top-tier club worldwide. Yet, he rejected interest from the Premier League and Serie A, as well as the financial allure of Saudi Arabia, to pursue the American dream with Beckham's Inter Miami.

While some were puzzled by his choice, Beckham has now unveiled the real reason behind Messi's move to the States. At a grand event hosted by Stella Artois, Inter Miami's co-owner was all praises for Lionel Messi, telling a New York dinner: "All he was interested in is a place where his family could come enjoy and have a great life.

"That was really important for Leo. I mean, from day one, from the moment he put his foot down in Miami, it's been a dream, honestly." In awe of the forward's impact, he went on to say: "Everybody's got their opinion on who they think is the best player of all time whether it be Diego Maradona, Pele, all of these great players.

"But to say that we have in the MLS, in Miami, the greatest player to play the game, it's just like a dream, you know? It's a dream every time that I'm there. If I go for the whole of the summer, which I went for four weeks this summer, I go into training every single day because, personally, I can't believe we've got Leo.

"Secondly, I just want to watch what he does. And that's a special thing for us." Since arriving in Miami, Messi has left an indelible mark, dazzling in the Leagues Cup of 2023. Turning the intense final clash against Nashville SC to magic, the legendary player scored to take the game to a nail-biting penalty shootout.

Cool as ever, Messi delivered his spot kick with perfection, joining the ranks of Sergio Busquets, Leonardo Campana and Jordi Alba, in what ended as a heart-stopping 10-9 victory on penalties. With 32 appearances and an impressive tally of 27 goals, along with 17 assists to date for his club, the football legend shows no signs of slowing down at the age of 37 - continuing to be a formidable force against rival defences in the US.