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'What a waste of a legacy' - Fans react to Lionel Messi's surprising decision to join Inter Miami in MLS

Football fans were shocked by Lionel Messi's surprise decision to join Major League Soccer (MLS) team Inter Miami.

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Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi (Source: Twitter)

Lionel Messi Lionel Messi (Source: Twitter)

Argentina superstar Lionel Messi confirmed that he would join Major League Soccer (MLS) side Inter Miami following his exit from Paris Saint Germain (PSG). The former Barcelona legend, who has accomplished almost virtually everything in the game after guiding his country to World Cup glory in 2022, will be a huge boost to MLS and the sport in America as a whole.

However, Messi's surprise decision came as a shock to football fans as he was rumoured to be joining his former club Barcelona and had a lucrative offer to join Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal. The latest reports have put an end to all the speculation and we will miss the chance to witness the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner playing in the same competition alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema.

"I've taken the decision that I am going to Miami. " to leave Europe," Messi told newspapers Diario Sport and Mundo Deportivo, according to the BBC.

"It's true that I had offers from another European team but I didn't even think about it because in Europe, my idea was only to go to Barcelona. After winning the World Cup and not being able to go to Barca, it's time to go to MLS to live football in a different way and enjoy my day-to-day life more. Obviously with the same responsibility and desire to win, and to do things well, but with more calm," the 35-year-old added.

Messi follows in the footsteps of Pele and David Beckham

Over the years, American football has attracted legendary players like Pele, David Beckham and Thierry Henry. Beckham is now a co-owner of Inter Miami. Former English footballer Beckham is now a co-owner of Miami, and it remains to be seen whether Messi's contract includes several other sources of income. The United States will co-host the 2026 FIFA Men's World Cup with Canada and Mexico.

Earlier, there were reports that Messi asked Al-Hilal to delay his transfer until 2024 in a bid to join Barcelona. The 2022 World Cup Golden Ball winner joined PSG in 2021, leaving Barcelona after 17 successful seasons. He remains the Spanish club's all-time scorer with 672 goals in 778 appearances. For the French club, Messi played 75 matches in all competitions, scoring 34 goals and assisting 32 times.

Here's how fans reacted to the reports of Lionel Messi joining Inter Miami:

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