Lionel Messi had a different motivation to move to the United States for the next stage of his professional career, less than six months after winning the sport's biggest prize in Qatar last year.
LIONEL MESSI FINALLY GETS HIS WORLD CUP! 🐐🏆 pic.twitter.com/wVAl6C3xcb
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Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas asked Messi his motivation for moving to the United States instead of accepting a lucrative Middle East offer or returning to Barcelona, the club he had known for most of his life.
The reason revealed his incredible competitive spirit behind his meek and laid-back personality.
The owner said that Messi took the priceless opportunity to change the whole game by moving to America, home to the biggest sports market in the world, and historically one of the few places where football does not have a firm grip.
"In this country, Lionel Messi has the opportunity to change the sport. If he would have stayed at PSG, wasn't gonna change the sport. If he returned to Barcelona, either. And going to Saudi, wasn't gonna change the sport there," Mas said.
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Messi chose a different challenge
A return to his home club FC Barcelona was on the cards, while a billion-dollar offer from Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal might have been too irresistible.
But the Argentine icon chose to move to the 16th best league in the world, the US-based MLS with Inter Miami, for reasons bigger than money or accolades - extending the game's reach to a major and powerful region.
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