Inside David Beckham's incredible life in the United States...From A-list buddies to persuading Lionel Messi to join Inter Miami

WHEN Lionel Messi joined David Beckham’s Inter Miami football team, it was the biggest coup in football history.

The former England captain persuaded the world’s greatest player to sign with a team at the bottom of their United States league in a remarkable piece of wheeler dealing.

David Beckham persuaded the world’s greatest player to sign for a team at the bottom of their United States leagueCredit: Getty

Beckham with new Inter Miami signing Lionel MessiCredit: instagram

David, Victoria, and Harper attended Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami debut with the Kardashians.Photographer: Instagram

Not only that, but the 36-year-old Messi, who led Argentina to World Cup victory last summer, turned down a reported billion-pound offer from Saudi Arabia’s top team.

Becks has cleverly harnessed the power of his celebrity friends to entice Messi with a level of glamour unrivalled in the Middle East.

Reality TV queen Kim Kardashian, basketball superstar LeBron James, and tennis legend Serena Williams were among those in attendance for the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner’s Inter Miami debut on Friday night.

When Beckham announced the formation of the Florida football team five years ago, he was accompanied by music mogul Jay-Z, superstar singer J-Lo, A-list actor Will Smith, and Olympic athlete Usain Bolt.

After Messi scored an injury-time winner in a cup match at the club’s temporary home ground, the 48-year-old appeared to be in tears.

Given the difficulties he has had in establishing a football team from scratch, this is understandable.

Following legal challenges, residents’ protests, and the discovery of arsenic in the soil, a promised state-of-the-art stadium has yet to be built.

‘It’s a dream’

Victoria, David’s 49-year-old wife, has been his rock throughout, uprooting the family to spend much of the year in Miami.

“Signing Messi has put the team on the global map,” a source close to the family told us.

“However, it’s not just the players who are rooting for the team. David and Victoria’s famous friends have all thrown their support behind it. Saint Kardashian, Kim Kardashian’s son, is a huge football fan, and Messi is his idol.

“The same can be said of the Beckhams’ friends, such as singer Marc Anthony, American football star Tom Brady, and NBA superstar LeBron James, who are frequently seen at games.”

“It’s not just a club; it’s more of a brand that’s hugely commercially viable.”

“From the start of the venture over five years ago, Victoria said she would support David at every step, and that couldn’t be more true,” they added.

“Miami has quickly become a second home for the family, and they enjoy the slower pace of life there.”

The Beckhams paid £18.5 million for a penthouse in a 707-foot tower designed by star architect Zaha Hadid, which included a helipad and views of the Atlantic Ocean.

The couple’s four children have also developed strong ties to the area.

Brooklyn, the eldest son, married actress Nicola Peltz, 28, at her billionaire father’s home just down the road in Palm Beach, while footballer Romeo, 20, was on the books of Inter Miami’s reserve team.

Harper, 12, spends the majority of her summer vacation in Miami, and musician Cruz, 18, has enjoyed hanging out on the £5 million family yacht in the city’s sun-drenched waters.

Becks is frequently seen out and about with celebrity friends, including Tom Brady.

Another close friend is nightlife magnate David Grutman, dubbed the “King of Miami” for his restaurant and nightclub empire.

Marc Anthony, Jennifer Lopez’s ex-husband, married model Nadia Ferreira in January at Miami’s Pérez Art Museum.

Goldenballs made a big impression at the Miami Grand Prix last year, and Victoria has been spotted out and about with her pal, Desperate Housewives actress Eva Longoria.

The Beckhams have dined at popular restaurants such as Makoto, where the Kardashians have been spotted, and Zuma Miami, a favourite of rap star Drake and Will Smith.

David, on the other hand, enjoys more humble fare and frequently visits Enriqueta’s Sandwich Shop, a Cuban restaurant where the most expensive dishes cost £9.

“He — has a little coffee — he likes Costa Rican coffee and loves the pork or a Cubano sandwich,” said Leidys Pla, whose family owns the restaurant.

“He’s always very nice, and he takes pictures with anyone who wants them.”

Lucia Pla, her mother, added with a smile, “David Beckham is my friend.”

Even Becks’ A-list pals have been overshadowed by Messi’s arrival, who is revered as a deity in the predominantly Latino city.

Everyone wanted to see the South American maestro, with touts charging up to £85,000 for tickets.

Murals honouring the Argentine striker have appeared everywhere, and enterprising businesses are selling Messi-themed sandwiches and even a Messi beer.

“It’s a dream to have Messi here,” Inter fan Maximiliano Infantino, 46, told The Sun.Beckham has the ability to make things happen.

“Miami has no idea what’s going to hit it.

“When you look at the bus stops, all you see are Messi pictures.”It will change everything.”

One mural covers the entire side of a seven-story building and features two images of Messi that were painted by a local graffiti artist and touched up by Beckham, who stopped by to paint Messi’s teeth.

“I want to thank David Beckham for bringing Lionel Messi to this city,” said Axel Montano, 30, who was selling T-shirts near the mural.

‘Cocktail for success’

“They are equals who understand each other.”

Convincing the magnificent football superstar to join the club must have meant a lot to Beckham.

The former England captain, who co-owns the club with Miami businessman Jorge Mas, stated, “The moment Leo went on TV and announced that he was coming to Miami, that was an emotional moment.”

He’s been after Messi for at least two years.

The former Barcelona star is said to be paid a basic annual salary of £15 million, plus £30 million in bonuses, and is also set to receive a stake in the team when his contract expires in 2025.

Messi joined Barcelona on a free transfer from PSG, and his earnings will be supplemented in part by a streaming agreement with Apple Plus.

His signing has impressed other club executives, including The Apprentice star and West Ham vice-chairman Baroness Karren Brady.

“With his boots on, Becks demonstrated that a unique technical ability and a tireless work ethic — aided by no shortage of charm and a sharp understanding of his own marketability — was a surefire cocktail for success,” she told The Sun.

“In the boardroom, he is demonstrating the same qualities as a football club owner.”

Anyone who dismissed Beckhams as a footballer-turned-underwear model was completely incorrect.

Last year, he earned £657,000 per week from his brand, which is licenced to Adidas, Electronic Arts video games, Haig Club whisky, Maserati cars, and Tudor watches.

In the future, Inter Miami may overshadow those sums.

Beckham founded the club as a personal project after striking a lucrative deal with the Los Angeles Galaxy 16 years ago.

As part of the agreement, Major League Soccer promised Beckham that he could establish his own football team in the United States for less than a quarter of the usual fee demanded by the competition.

However, he has had to overcome local opposition to various plans for a permanent stadium in the Florida city.

Currently, the team plays 30 miles away in Fort Lauderdale’s 21,000-seat DRV PNK Stadium, which was previously home to another football team.

Due to Covid restrictions, the first Inter Miami home match in 2020 had to be postponed — and Beckham has gone through four managers in four years.

He showed a ruthless streak when he fired old England and Manchester United teammate Phil Neville last month, with the club currently languishing at the bottom of the Eastern Conference league at 15th.

The success of the Apple TV football comedy Ted Lasso and the Disney Plus Welcome To Wrexham documentary — about Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney taking over another Welsh non-league side — shows that there is a market for the sport in the United States.

This enthusiasm will grow even more when the United States, Mexico, and Canada co-host the World Cup in three years.

“We can all look on with pride as we see one of our greatest national treasures now helping to inspire another generation by sprinkling more stardust in the US,” says Baroness Brady.

“It can only be good for the future of our beautiful game as the love for it spreads around the world.”