Audio By Carbonatix
Argentina legend Lionel Messi will join American side Inter Miami after his exit from French champions Paris St-Germain.
The former Barcelona player is set to reject a more lucrative offer from Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal.
The Miami deal includes collaboration from brands like Adidas and Apple.
Forward Messi, 35, won the award for the world's best player seven times and is expected to win it later this year after World Cup success.
This is the first time Barcelona icon Messi has played outside Europe.
He wanted to remain in Europe for another season but, after no satisfactory offers were received, he had the straight choice between Inter Miami or Al-Hilal.
He was heavily tipped to be favouring a move to Saudi Arabia, where he would have joined Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema in the league in a deal that could not be matched financially.
But Messi was ultimately tempted to Major League Soccer side Inter Miami for a variety of reasons including lifestyle, and a deal with big brands that extends beyond football.
He already owns a house in Miami, which he currently rents out.
He was keen on a return to Barcelona this summer but the Financial Fair Play limitations that will be in place for next season in La Liga made any ambitious plan to bring him back an impossibility.
Paris St-Germain won Ligue 1 in both his seasons at the club but went out in the Champions League last 16, which means his time in France was not seen as a huge success.
He netted 32 goals in 75 games for the club - and ended this season with 16 goals and 16 assists in Ligue 1.
Messi's two-year contract comes to an end this summer and both parties agreed to go their separate ways, with the forward suspended for two weeks in May for an unauthorised trip to Saudi Arabia.
His legacy comes from his time at Barcelona and winning the World Cup with Argentina in December.
He left Barca in 2021, after 21 years with the club, because of the club's financial problems.
Messi is Barcelona's record scorer with 672 goals and won 10 La Liga titles, four Champions Leagues and seven Spanish Cups.
Latest Stories
-
Algeria claim first-ever podium finish after penalty shootout win over hosts Morocco
50 minutes -
NPP struggled even in traditional strongholds in 2024 – Annoh-Dompreh
58 minutes -
NPP must elect strong parliamentary candidates to reclaim Greater Accra seats – Patrick Boamah
1 hour -
Abdul-Aziz Abdu-Rahaman elected NPP Upper West Regional Chairman
1 hour -
Iddrisu Sulemana edges Clifford Braimah to become NPP Savannah Regional Chairman
1 hour -
‘Arrogance of power’ is driving voters back to NPP in Ashanti Region – Paul Adom-Otchere
1 hour -
They demolish buildings and tell us they’re building 24-hour markets – Paul Adom-Otchere
2 hours -
NPP’s 2024 Bolgatanga Central Parliamentary Candidate elected Upper East Regional Chairman
2 hours -
Incumbent Northern NPP Chair wins as new faces break through in party executive elections
2 hours -
Former Health Minister Okoe Boye elected NPP Greater Accra Regional Chair
2 hours -
Joseph Kobinah Esibu elected NPP Central Regional Chairman
2 hours -
Fernandez booed by Chelsea fans as Alonso offers glimpse of blueprint
2 hours -
PSG sign World Cup winner Torres from Barcelona
3 hours -
Odeneho Kwaku Appiah beats former EPA boss Kokofu, to emerge NPP Ashanti chair
3 hours -
TDC defends statutory mandate, says its authority to develop Tema predates TMA
3 hours