One of the most celebrated footballers in the world, Lionel Messi on Wednesday announced he will sign for Major League Soccer Side Inter Miami, choosing the United States as his next destination over a Barcelona reunion or blockbuster deal to play in Saudi Arabia. The Argentine star has spent the last two seasons at Paris Saint-Germain, playing his final game for the club on Saturday, after moving from Barcelona in 2021, where he spent the majority of his career. MLS and David Beckham’s Inter Miami confirmed the news on social media, although the American league noted that work remains to finalize a formal agreement.

The 35-year-old Argentina captain is a seven-time Ballon d’Or winner and also earned the individual honor once more after leading his nation to World Cup glory in Qatar in December 2022. The football world and fans were eagerly awaiting Messi’s decision after PSG confirmed this week that the best player in the history of football was departing. The romance of a Barcelona return and the prospect of joining a club in Saudi Arabia, where he can earn loads of money fell by the wayside as Messi opted to join MLS.

I have taken the decision that I am going to Miami, I do not have the deal 100 percent sealed or maybe there is something left to do, but we decided to continue our path there, Messi told the Spanish newspaper Diario Sport. I decided to leave Europe. After winning the World Cup and not being able to go to Barca, it’s time to go to MLS to live football in a different way and enjoy my day-to-day life more, the Argentine expressed.

Obviously with the same responsibility and desire to win, and to do things well, but with more calm. If it had been a question of money, I would have gone to Saudi Arabia or elsewhere. It seemed like a lot of money and the truth is that my decision went another way and not for money, added Messi.

I really wanted to come back to Barca, I was really looking forward to it. But, on the other hand, after having lived through what I lived through, after the exit I had, I didn’t want to go through the same situation again and have to wait to see what was going to happen, Messi said. I didn’t want to leave my future in the hands of others. Somehow, I wanted to make my own decision for myself and for my family, he concluded.