The Inter Miami FC co-owner officially welcomed the Argentine legend to his team in July this year

By Stephanie Sengwe

David Beckham hugs Lionel Messi. Photo: Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images

David Beckham, 48, managed to bring one of the biggest international athletes stateside, and the magnitude of that feat is hardly lost on him.

In July, the former soccer player and co-owner of Inter Miami FC officially welcomed Lionel Messi, 36, to the South Florida-based soccer club, and he’s been on cloud nine since. Of course, getting a player of Messi’s caliber to sign didn’t come easy, as the Argentine soccer legend was in high demand.

“We always knew there would be competition,” Beckham told The Times of London. “The time I got a bit worried was when Barcelona showed interest. The club obviously pulls on his heartstrings and he never really got to say the goodbye he deserved there,” he said of Messi, who played for Barça for 17 seasons.

‘Emotional’ David Beckham Welcomes Lionel Messi to His Inter Miami FC Team: ‘Truly a Dream’

However, the stiff competition didn’t dissuade Beckham, who managed to snag the soccer superstar for just over $20.4 million, per CBS News. “It still gives me goosebumps,” he told The Times of London of the moment he found out Messi would be coming to Inter Miami.

David Beckham with Lionel Messi.CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty

Though soccer (known elsewhere as football) is massively popular globally, it’s only recently rose to prominence in the U.S. Beckham and Thierry Henry are some of the noted international players who have signed to Major League Soccer teams in an effort to bring more visibility to U.S.-based teams. So, onboarding a player as prolific as Messi was also a strategic move for the Inter Miami owner.

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“I said, ‘How many elite athletes have had the opportunity to change a sport in a country?’ It is transformational for the sport in the United States,” Beckham told The Times of his initial pitch. “This is just the beginning. His presence, medium to long-term, will prove that this league belongs among the world’s best leagues over time.”

This is hardly the first time Beckham has been open about his reverence for Messi.

David Beckham Praises Lionel Messi in Trailer for New Messi Meets America Docuseries — Watch!

In July, when the superstar officially joined the Inter Miami team, Beckham introduced Messi to a sold-out crowd at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida — and called Messi’s arrival a “dream come true.”

Lionel Messi with Inter Miami FC owners.CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty

“Ten years ago, I started my journey to build a new MLS team,” Beckham said, per ESPN. “I said then, I dreamt of bringing the best players in the world to South Florida and to the great city of Miami. Players who shared our ambition to grow soccer in this country … We are so happy that you are all here to celebrate this incredible moment.”

He continued, “So please forgive me for feeling a little bit emotional tonight. It truly is a dream come true to welcome Lionel Messi to Inter Miami … Bienvenido a La Familia.”

Beckham was also seen singing the soccer player’s praises in the trailer for Messi Meets America — an Apple TV+ docu-series that gives an “inside look” at the latest chapter of Messi’s life and career. “This is one of the greatest players in the world,” Beckhman states.