Lionel Messi becomes the new face of MLS. That was always a given when he confirmed Inter Miami as his next destination after leaving Paris Saint-Germain, but he proved that his move to his new team was more than just a marketing ploy in two games. My first match for my new team.

Messi made a successful debut in the Leagues Cup match against Cruz Azul by scoring from a corner kick in the 94th minute to end Miami’s 11-match winless streak, and continued his impressive form with a impressive double in a 4-0 victory over Atlanta United. Messi fever has spread everywhere in America, and no one is enjoying it more than Miami’s owner, David Beckham.

When Miami was awarded an MLS expansion spot in 2018, Beckham pledged to build the best team in the league, before adding: “I think Miami needs a star. You have to realize our audience and Miami expects us to bring in a star. That’s what we’re planning on doing.”At that time, Messi was still only playing for one club in Europe, Barcelona. But Miami tried to make him their “star” when his relationship with Barcelona began to show bad signs.

“My cost is three years. One year and a half, very tight,” Miami’s managing owner Jorge Mas recently told El Pais when asked about negotiations with Messi. “I saw it completed at the end of May. Beckham spoke to Leo, just about football matters, because he was still playing. I didn’t want him to feel pressured. We did speaking in Barcelona, Miami, Rosario, Doha… I spent the entire World Cup in Qatar, watching Argentina play.”

MLS CEO Don Garber also added about Beckham’s role in the deal: “That doesn’t happen very often, and you do what you say you’re going to do. I think that’s great. David is a special person. People don’t understand how smart David Beckham is, how much he thinks and how much he works.”

It can be said that Messi could not appear in MLS right now without Beckham. And the growing friendship between him and the Argentinian star also brings joy to fans in the United States and around the world.