David Beckham has revealed bringing Lionel Messi to Inter Miami was done in a bid to inspire the next generation of American footballers, as well as his showcasing his talent on the pitch.
Beckham brought in the biggest signing in Major League Soccer history last summer, with Messi signing with the Miami team until 2025. During his career, the former Barcelona star has put himself in the conversation as arguably the greatest footballer of all time, having won a record eight Ballon d'Or titles.
His latest came last winter during his first campaign in the United States, almost a year on from leading Argentina to their first World Cup triumph since 1986 with victory over France in the final in Qatar.
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There is no doubt the acquisition of Messi to Miami has only helped the MLS franchise on the pitch but that was not all Beckham brought the Argentine in for. "It's just that effect that Leo has on the game and the world," Beckham told Jimmy Kimmel.
"One of the reasons we wanted to bring him to America was to inspire the next generation. That was my plan. I obviously wanted to bring him for the player he is and the person he is. I played against him numerous times, actually twice thankfully, but I've been a fan of him and watched him for many years.
"And I always had the plan to bring the greatest player to ever play the game, in my opinion, to our team. Luckily, it happened." Unsurprisingly Messi revolutionised the Miami squad, helping them win their first ever piece of silverware in the Leagues Cup last August.
David Beckham and Lionel Messi have enjoyed plenty of success (Getty)Now into his first full season, Messi has helped guide Beckham's club to the top of the Eastern Conference, three points clear of Cincinnati after 12 games. The forward however is not the only star-studded name in the Inter squad, with Messi also playing alongside former Barcelona teammates Sergio Busquests, Jordi Alba and Luis Suarez.
Both Messi and Suarez are tied at the top of the MLS top-goalscorer list, having scored 10 goals each in the league. Their last outing at home to New York Red Bulls was Miami at their best, as they came from 1-0 down at half-time to defeat their rivals 6-2, again thanks to the brilliance of their strike partnership.
Messi played a part in all six goals, scoring one himself and setting up a whopping five for his teammates. Three of those were scored by Suarez as his scored his first hat-trick in a Miami shirt, whilst Matias Rojas netted the other two. Messi and co will return to action in the early hours of Sunday morning when making the trip to C.F. Montreal.
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