Barcelona? Bayern? Inter Milan? No and no. The soccer team currently attracting the most interest, and probably quite a few new fans, is Inter Miami – a team that was founded only 5 years ago, but became the hottest thing in the world when it managed to lure Lionel Messi, who moved there in recent weeks and yesterday, in his second game with the team, scored two of the four goals.
Perplexity tells us a bit about the team that went from zero to Messi in five years:
Inter Miami was founded in 2018, began operations in 2019 and entered MLB, the revitalized American Soccer League, in 2020. Its founders were a group of investors that included English football star David Beckham, brothers Jorge Jose Maas, owners of local mining giant MasTec, CEO of Japanese investment fund SoftBank Masayoshi Sun, Bolivian entrepreneur Marcelo Clore and British entrepreneur Simon Fuller. In 2021, the Maas brothers bought Sun and Clore's stake and became managing owners of the club, with Beckham serving as chief operating officer.
The team has faced a number of challenges since its inception, including battles for a permanent home stadium and a record $2 million fine from MLS for salary budget violations. The team was also criticized for its performance on the pitch, with the team finishing last in the East in its inaugural season. Despite all these struggles, Inter Miami has a bright future. The club has recently made a number of high-profile signings, including superstar Messi for a salary of around $50 million a year, and is expected to become a major player in MLS in the coming years.
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