International superstar and football icon Lionel Messi will sign with MLS club Inter Miami, according to Spanish journalist and Messi biographer Guillem Balagué.
Messi, 35, chose Inter Miami over offers from longtime club FC Barcelona and Al Hilal — what would have been an unprecedented contract from the Saudi Arabian side reportedly worth more than $1 billion over two years. He leaves French club Paris Saint-Germain after two seasons, fresh off his first FIFA World Cup victory with Argentina in December.
The details of Messi’s reported agreement with Inter Miami aren’t yet clear, but The Athletic reports that Miami’s offer included profit sharing with Apple and Adidas and an option to purchase an MLS team at the end of his playing career.
The Athletic also reports that Messi could make his debut for Inter Miami as soon as July 21, when Miami faces Mexican side Cruz Azul in the 2023 Leagues Cup at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale.
The Portland Timbers do not play Inter Miami in 2023 and — after playing them two consecutive years in 2021 and 2022 — are unlikely to do so in 2024, either.
— Ryan Clarke, rclarke@oregonian.com, Twitter: @RyanTClarke