The Daily Heron: Messi isn’t returning to Barcelona, not even on loan in January

"If it had been a question of money, I would have gone to Saudi Arabia or somewhere else, where they offered me a lot of money."

Lionel Messi, Inter Miami forward

Messi documentary series debuts Wednesday

It’s inevitable that Lionel Messi’s move from Europe to Major League Soccer in North America will be compared to that of David Beckham, his new boss at Inter Miami. Beckham, fashion icon as well as legitimate soccer superstar, came to the U.S. in 2007; his arrival arguably saved, but definitely changed, MLS. Beckham’s time at the L.A. Galaxy led directly to his being awarded an MLS franchise which eventually became Inter Miami.

Still in the initial wave of Messi mania, it’s hard to predict what the World Cup hero’s impact will be on the game in America but it will almost certainly surpass that of his boss.

Documentary series chronicling both men’s stories are being released this month. The four-part Netflix series “Beckham” was released Oct. 4, and the Apple+ series “Messi Meets America”, with six segments, debuts Wednesday.