Discover behind the scenes of Lionel Messi's arrival at Inter Miami

Have you ever heard the name Jorge Mas? This is the personality behind Inter Miami, who brought Lionel Messi to the team. Furthermore, the billionaire is responsible for the largest cruise in the world and is promising a show on the high seas, with an award-winning Scottish cover band, aquatic acrobats and the Argentine player. Understand the relationship between Mas and the player.

Inter Miami pre and post Messi

Jorge Mas, one of Inter Miami's investors, has seen the club change drastically since the arrival of Lionel Messi, increasing its revenue to US$118 million in 2023 and estimated to surpass US$200 million this year. With the Argentine, the club doubled Apple TV subscriptions and saw significant increases in box office revenue.

Forbes estimates that Inter Miami is now the second most valuable club in MLS, valued at just over $1 billion, helping to increase Mas' fortune to $1.7 billion. Despite the success, Mas faces the challenge of ensuring the club's continuity following Messi's eventual departure, but is determined to maintain Inter Miami's fan base and success, with or without the Argentine star.

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_{Jorge Mas (Photo: reproduction/Getty Images Embed)}

Agreement with the Argentine

Jorge Mas, an investor in Inter Miami, began planning the acquisition of major world football stars even before the club's debut in 2020. His determination led him to meet with Lionel Messi's agent, Jorge Messi, in several cities, even that in June 2023, Messi announced his arrival at the club, generating great excitement among football fans in South Florida. However, the Argentine's physical limitations, highlighted by injuries and absences from important games, are leading Mas to rethink the club's future following the football star's eventual departure.

But he plans to maintain Inter Miami's success beyond the Messi era, focusing on attracting other great players to the team. With multi-year sponsorship deals recently signed with companies like JPMorgan Chase and Duracell, Mas intends to continue strengthening the team and the league. He also expects MLS to have between 12 and 20 of the world's top 100 players by 2027, using the 2026 World Cup, which will be held in North America, as an opportunity to further boost the popularity of soccer in the United States. .

Featured photo: Lionel Messi at Inter Miami (Reproduction/Getty Images)