David Beckham extended a warm welcome to Lionel Messi in his native tongue as the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner joined Inter Miami.
This was no surprise to many, as it had been widely reported for weeks that Messi’s time in Europe had come to an end.
The official announcement of Messi’s signing until 2025 was made on Saturday night.
On Sunday, amidst a rain delay, Messi was introduced to his enthusiastic new fans in Florida at the DRV PNK Stadium, which was packed for the occasion.
David Beckham, the owner of Inter Miami, was present and stood alongside the club’s new superstar on the stage, proudly displaying Messi’s number 10 jersey.
Behind-the-scenes footage captured a significant moment between Beckham and Messi before the formal proceedings began.
They engaged in a conversation in Spanish, symbolizing a warm exchange between the two football icons
David Beckham extended a warm welcome to Lionel Messi in his native tongue as the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner joined Inter Miami.
A hug between Lionel Messi and David Beckham! Via @SC_ESPN. pic.twitter.com/frG7CUgFpV
— Roy Nemer (@RoyNemer) July 16, 2023
The former Manchester United star could be heard welcoming his new player by saying ‘Todo bien?’, or “All good?”, before they continued to chat.
Fans were left confused because they didn’t believe that Beckham could actually speak Spanish, despite his time in Spain with Real Madrid.
The 48-year-old spent four years in La Liga before his own move to the United States to play MLS football with LA Galaxy.
But during that spell the former England captain didn’t speak the native language, leading to some fans mocking the idea he’d learnt just for Messi.
“David Beckham didn’t learn Spanish in Madrid but may learn Spanish in Miami for Leo Messi,” noted one supporter.
“Since when does David Beckham speak Spanish?”, questioned a second.
Another thinks the owners limited use of the language goes back to his school days, adding: “Beckham’s GCSE Spanish lessons helping him at the right time.”
“David Beckham notoriously shunned learning of Spanish when he played for Real Madrid,” claimed a fourth.
And another commented: “David Beckham had to learn Spanish for this.”
During the presentation Messi did speak to the crowd in Spanish as well, with the club having strong ties to the Latinx community in Miami.
Speaking to the fans the co-owner said: “Ten years ago, I started my journey to build a new MLS team,” Becks said.
“I said then, I dreamt of bringing the best players in the world to South Florida and to the great city to 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.
“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.”