Lionel Messi has shown Mark Wahlberg's comments about David Beckham's ability to grow 'soccer' to be incorrect.
The public fallout from the bitter breakdown of the friendship between Mark Wahlberg and David Beckham continues, but it seems the English football icon is having the last laugh as he proved his former friend wrong with one prediction.
The globally recognised duo are currently locking legal horns as it was revealed that the ex-Manchester United winger has taken legal action against the Hollywood star, along with F45 founders Adam Gilchrist and Rob Deutsch. Beckham's company, DB Ventures Ltd, claims that Wahlberg "duped" him into collaborating with F45, with the former Real Madrid superstar reportedly losing $10.5 million as his shares were held back until share prices fell.
However, Wahlberg and his team have refuted these allegations, with the ensuing controversy making headlines on both sides of the Atlantic. Despite the pair having been close previously, even being neighbours, it seems there has been some tension between them since the early days of Beckham's move to America.
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His adversary, known for his role in "Ted", made remarks about the former LA Galaxy midfielder as far back as 2009 - just two years into his stint in the MLS in the US. Commenting on the effect of the star's arrival on his local area, Wahlberg told the Daily Mail: "Man, the Beckhams. It used to be so quiet on my road."
"Then David moves in with his family. Suddenly we've got paparazzi hanging out day and night. Now they'll follow any car that drives down the road. I take strong exception to that kind of thing. When I take my kids to the park I don't want strangers sticking their lenses into our faces.", reports the Mirror US.
On top of his clear dismay surrounding the media circus that had accompanied Beckham's presence in California, he also had some choice words to say about his sport of choice. Predicting that his designs on improving the popularity of soccer in the US would prove fruitless, he continued: "I'm not telling Beckham to take his family home.
"I'm just not sure why he came to America in the first place. Man, we don't want your soccer. There's no way Americans are going to buy the idea of 90 minutes of running around without much happening. Thanks for trying guys, but we'll stick to baseball and basketball."
Mark Wahlberg currently is engaged in a legal battle with former footballer David Beckham (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/WireImage)Fast forward some 15 years, however, and it appears that Beckham has very much defied his naysayers in this regard, with his own career in MLS having provided a launchpad for his co-ownership of Inter Miami. Establishing the club back in 2018, the franchise was eventually able to pull off arguably the most significant transfer in American soccer history in 2023.
Finally, with World Cup winner and eight-time Ballon d'Or recipient Messi making his way to Florida, the sport has seen a surge in popularity stateside in recent months. With record attendances at stadiums that followed his rockstar-like reception across the US, the legendary winger's move to Miami has been welcomed by large sections of the American populace.
In this regard, Beckham's aspiration of changing the perception of soccer in the country ultimately came true as "Messi Mania" seized the nation following his switch from PSG. Considering the fact that the World Cup is set to be hosted by the US in 2026, the arrival of the Argentinian superstar may well be considered the turning point in America finally embracing soccer.
This clearly reinforces Messi's influence is undeniable, and the Argentine legend has assisted Beckham in defying Wahlberg's dismissive statements about his sport.
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