Gone are the days when David Beckham’s signing to the LA Galaxy was the biggest Major League Soccer news — now it’s bringing international players on board. Back in 2023, when Lionel Messi signed to Inter Miami (now co-owned by none other than David Beckham), he did so with a historic $150 million contract; a big risk for the franchise at the time. However, given that Messi’s presence on the team has almost doubled revenue since then, it seems like it was all worthwhile. Now, however, with said contract expiring at the end of the year, the team may be looking at ways to keep the G.O.A.T. onboard, and the tactics they seem to be using are, let’s just say, unusual. Also, they involve a certain Rodrigo De Paul.
It has just been announced that Inter Miami has acquired Rodrigo DePaul (on loan) from Atlético Madrid. The Argentinian midfielder who shared the country’s World Cup victory with Lionel Messi in Qatar back in 2022 will now join him in the MLS. While David Beckham insists bringing the 31-year-old onto the team has nothing to do with Messi and that he’s just “excited to welcome another World Cup winning player, not just to Inter Miami, but also to MLS,” other soccer fans and analysts think otherwise. On a recent episode of ESPN FC, former Venezuelan footballer Alejandro Enrique Moreno Riera was asked if he thought bringing DePaul on was to appease Messi. While Moreno’s answer isn’t a simple yes or no, it does shed a little more light on the nuances of this acquisition.
“Well, I think it makes sense to bring a player like Rodrigo De Paul,” Moreno started by saying, adding: “His game is based upon intensity and getting around the field and, huh, being mean—and, well, being a pain in the backside. It has to be, completely, 100% annoying to play against Rodrigo De Paul. But if you have him on your team, you love him. And that’s why Lionel Messi wants to have him in his team at Inter Miami. And that’s why he loves having him with the national team as well in Argentina.” So no, Moreno isn’t shying away from the possibility that Messi had something to do with this decision.
Argentina v France – FIFA World Cup, WM, Weltmeisterschaft, Fussball 2022 – Final – Lusail Stadium Argentina’s Leandro Paredes, second left, Rodrigo De Paul, right, and Paulo Dybala, centre, celebrate following victory over France in the FIFA World Cup final at Lusail Stadium, Qatar. Picture date: Sunday, December 18, 2022. Use subject to restrictions. Editorial use only, no commercial use without prior consent from the rights holder. PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxUKxIRL Copyright: xMikexEgertonx 70319132
However, Moreno then contextualized it by adding, “I think it’s a good signing for Inter Miami. I still have concerns about this team defensively, but he will go a long way in solidifying his presence and the presence of the midfield in Inter Miami, allowing them a platform from which Lionel Messi can do the things that he does so often for this club.” Of course, Messi would only want a player on the team who could benefit the larger picture, so it seems like a win-win for both Inter Miami and Messi to now have Rodrigo De Paul on their side.
Rodrigo De Paul’s journey so far with Argentina, Madrid, and Lionel Messi
Rodrigo De Paul, who is known as Lionel Messi’s bodyguard on the field, is expected to make his debut with the team on July 30, 2025, against Atlas Guadalajara. He’ll be easy to spot, what, with the tattoos and the number 7 jersey and his proximity to Messi. When asked about his feelings on joining the club, De Paul had this to say, “What brings me to Inter Miami is the desire to compete, win titles, to write the pages in the Club’s history.” But leaving Atlético Madrid, which is one of the top three clubs in La Liga, must have been a tough decision.
Well, maybe not so much because Athletico is getting $15million a year for every year De Paul is on loan, and De Paul is getting to hang with Messi, with whom he lifted the World Cup just three years ago. Also, maybe this move will, in fact, greatly appease Messi, who wasn’t too happy about getting a one-game suspension after failing to play in an All-Star Game earlier this week. This MLS rule was then called Draconian by Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas, who stood by his star player through the suspension.
It looks like Inter Miami is the one to watch in the next few months. It may very well be that this is the team to change the pace and culture of the MLS. If Messi stays on with Inter Miami when his contract expires at the end of the year and if the team ultimately purchases Rodrigo De Paul from Athletico before 2029, then things in the world of MLS might soon look very different, with a whole lot more of that Argentinian passion and fire!
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