Here’s how David Beckham initiated a close friendship with Lionel Messi since the soccer star arrived in Miami, culminating in Beckham presenting Messi with his eighth Ballon d’Or:
When Lionel Messi ascended the steps to accept his record-breaking eighth Ballon d’Or, his smile was directed at a man he has become quite familiar with in recent months.
David Beckham has experienced an extraordinary year in the world of sports. Not only did he orchestrate the most significant Major League Soccer transfer of the decade, but he also witnessed his Inter Miami team secure their first trophy, the Leagues Cup.
Standing on a stage in France, Beckham handed the Ballon d’Or to Messi, marking a historic moment as the first-ever MLS player to win this prestigious award. It might be incorrect to suggest that Beckham meticulously planned all of this, but he has been preparing for Messi’s arrival for years.
From the moment Messi showed interest in Beckham’s Miami project, the Englishman made diligent efforts to turn it into a reality, relying on his charm to establish a deep connection with the greatest football player of all time.
After presenting Messi with the coveted award, Beckham expressed his admiration for the Argentine captain: “It’s very special to say he’s a Miami player and he’s in our city. He’ll celebrate this with his teammates and his family in his way. We’ll do our best to celebrate it in the Miami way. I’m sure we can throw a great party.”
Messi attended the ceremony with his wife, Antonela Roccuzzo, and their three sons, Mateo, Thiago, and Ciro, who even joined their father on stage. This moment marked the culmination of years of speculation surrounding the World Cup winner’s interest in bringing his talents to South Beach.
In 2018, when it was announced that Beckham would launch a franchise in Miami, Messi congratulated him via a social media video, saying, “First of all, congratulations. I wanted to wish you all the best in this project, this new role for you. And who knows, maybe in a few years you can give me a call.”
Beckham indeed made that call. He and Miami relentlessly pursued the wantaway star, who was with PSG at the time, in their efforts to bring him to MLS. Beckham stated in the Apple TV documentary ‘Messi Meets America,’ “There’s a lot of hard work that has to be done to bring a player like Leo into this league, and we were prepared to do that because a player like Leo and the magnitude of bringing him and his family to Miami, there’s many elements that have to be put right before you even think about having a conversation.”
In the same documentary, Messi disclosed that Beckham was one of his main sources of information about the league, which the Englishman had electrified in 2007. Messi mentioned, “He guided me and told me a little bit about his experience, what it had been like for him to come and play here when he made the decision. But at the same time, he told me that things were different now because the league has grown significantly since his arrival.”
Ultimately, after contemplating a return to Barcelona or a move to Saudi Arabia, Messi agreed to join Inter Miami during the past summer. Messi expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “I came with great enthusiasm. My wife and I and our children have been really enjoying ourselves, and we’ve been discussing what this could mean for us. It was a promising start.
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