- Beckham’s efforts since moving have won over the Messi family
- Now, their friendship will deepen as a baseline is set and more trophies are left to conquer
- DailyMail.com provides all the latest international sports news
As Lionel Messi climbed the steps to accept his record eighth Ballon d’Or, he was seen smiling at a man he has become very familiar with in recent months.
In the world of sport, few people have lived through the years of David Beckham. Not only did he complete a decade of MLS football, he also saw his Inter Miami side win their first trophy, the League Cup.
Now, he stands on a stage in France, handing the Ballon d’Or to Lionel Messi – the first Major League Soccer player to win the honor.
It might be wrong to say that Beckham planned this to happen, but he has been preparing for the moment Messi arrives for years.
The Englishman has been trying to make it happen ever since the Argentinian took an interest in Beckham’s Miami project. He pulled it off with his charisma, and now you’ve struck up a friendship with the greatest gamer of all time.
After handing Messi the gilded trophy, Beckham gushed about the Argentina captain.
“To say he’s a Miami player and he’s in our city, it’s very special,” Beckham said. “He’s going to celebrate that in his way with his teammates and his family.
“We will do our best to celebrate this occasion in the Miami way. I’m sure we can have a great party.
Messi’s wife Antonella Roccuzzo and their three sons Mateo, Thiago and Ciro attended the ceremony. These young people even joined Messi on stage.
It’s the culmination of years of speculation that the World Cup winner was interested in bringing his talents to South Beach.
Back in 2018, when Beckham announced that he would open a team in Miami, Messi sent a congratulatory message via a social media video.
“First of all, congratulations,” Messi said in Spanish in a social media video. “I wish you all the best in this project and this new role.
“Who knows, maybe in a few years you can give me a call.”
call him. Beckham and the Miami Heat began efforts to get the then-PSG star to join Major League Soccer.
“It takes a lot of hard work to get a player like Leo into this league and we’re ready,” Beckham said in the Apple TV documentary “Messi Meets America.”
“Because of a player like Leo and the importance of bringing him and his family to Miami, there are a lot of factors that have to be considered before you even consider having a conversation.”
In the same documentary, Messi stated that Beckham was one of his main contacts when he ignited league-related issues in 2007.
“He coached me and told me a little bit about his experiences and what it was like to come here and play when he made the decision,” Messi said in Spanish (translated via subtitles).
“But at the same time, he told me that things are different now because the league has grown a lot since he arrived.”
Ultimately, after debating a return to Barcelona or a move to Saudi Arabia, Messi agreed to join Inter Miami last summer.
“I come here with great enthusiasm,” Messi said. “My wife and I and our kids are really having a blast and we’ve been talking about what this means to us. It’s a great start.
“We made this decision to bring Leo to Miami not just for us, not just for our fans, we made it for the league, we made it for the sport, we made it for America,” Beckham said. .” “But with that comes the eyes of the world.”
In Messi’s highly dramatic televised speech to fans, he thanked Beckham and his Inter Miami co-owners: “They made everything easy for us and everything has been spectacular since we arrived.”
Messi added: “I am very happy that my family and I have chosen this city and this project. I have no doubt that we will have a great time.
Beckham is convinced of this. In addition to Messi’s grand entrance with “La Presentacion,” the games he attended in Miami became occasions of their own.
Gone are the days when DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale struggled to fill seats or attract guests. With Messi in town, Beckham and the club made sure the celebrities packed luxury boxes.
LeBron James, Serena Williams, Kim Kardashian and many others were in attendance to watch the Argentine forward come off the bench against Cruz Azul in the Carabao Cup.
Although everyone was present, it was Messi who made it magical – winning his first game for the club with a brilliant free-kick.
That’s when his star power really arrived – and Beckham made sure Messi got all the rewards.
He began doting on Messi and showing him what the city had to offer.
Beckham took Messi and fellow former Barcelona players Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba along for a decadent night on the town.
They met with Miami nightclub owner David Grutman at Gekko Miami—a sushi restaurant and steakhouse with a clubby feel.
The wives joined them and the group cheered every moment.
But Leo isn’t the only one spoiled. His wife Antonella Raccuzzo celebrated the fashion show of Grutmann’s wife Isabela with a “girls lunch” with Victoria Beckham.
But it’s not just lavish nights out on the town that make Beckham and Messi the best of friends.
As Messi trains, Beckham watches closely from the sidelines. He even attended some practices and worked out with the team.
Not only that, but he also tried one of Messi’s simple pleasures – yerba mate. Beckham posted a photo on Instagram with the caption “If it’s good enough for Leo.”
But apparently Leo didn’t like the brand – telling Beckham “I’m going to make you drink some good yerba mate”.
Beckham’s relationship with Messi is going well on and off the pitch – after the Argentine helped Inter Miami lift their first trophy in the club’s history, the League Cup.
But even so, there’s still room for improvement. Messi’s arrival apparently came too late to impact his club’s chances of making the MLS Cup playoffs.
Not only that, the team also lost to FC Cincinnati in the US Open Cup final, a tournament with a much higher status than the League Cup.
This season has set a baseline for what the team can achieve with Messi at the helm.
He’s delivered, and that’s enough for Beckham to tip his hat.
The pair will allow Messi to rest and further acclimate throughout the offseason, plus all the time to help build a team.
It’s sure to see the bond between the two of them grow stronger and potentially create a partnership between player and owner that will earn this franchise kudos for years to come.