After months of rumours, weeks of uncertainty and the last few days of nervousness, Leo Messi has finally made a definitive decision about his future. The Argentine star will in the end not return to Barça because he has accepted the offer from US team Inter Miami, as reported by journalist Guillem Balagué. The future of the greatest footballer of the 21st century has kept the fans on the edge of their seats for the last few days, but the cookie has not crumbled in the direction that the culers wanted.
Leo Messi opts for Inter Miami
Barça had received the green light to begin discussions over a hypothetical Operation Messi Return, but the club told its former number 10 that that it needed more time. Then the culers began to get their hopes up. However, finally, in the last few hours it all turned to dust. Messi wanted to make a decision soon and could not keep hanging on Barça. For this reason he has ended up opting to play for David Beckham's MLS team.
Messi had the options of Barça and Saudi Arabia on the table, in addition to Inter Miami. The footballer wanted to pull on the blaugrana colours again, but the conditions were not yet there to make official a re-signing for what was still - despite the last two years - the club of his lifetime. Meanwhile, the offer from Saudi Arabia was very tempting financially. But in the end it was the US club that was in the Goldilocks zone - not too much, not too little, just right for the Argentinian's requirments.
Messi wanted to return to Barça, his dad wanted the money from Saudi Arabia, but moving down to Florida was what his family wanted. And since they didn't want to wait much longer to make a decision, the answer ended up being given out of necessity. Perhaps hasty, but it was also a well thought out decision within the Messi family.
The end of the best Leo Messi
A move by Messi that marks the end of his top-level sports career. It is obvious that when European football is put aside it is a way of saying that your professional career is heading towards retirement. Although Messi still had the legs and the football to spend another year or two in Europe, the end of his time at PSG was the end of his unrivalled journey to the pinnacles of the football world.