David Beckham's bid to find the next Lionel Messi as he draws up ambitious MLS plan
In the new Apple TV+ docuseries Onside: Major League Soccer - which provides unprecedented access to players, coaches and clubs during the 2024 season - David Beckham revealed his future Inter Miami plans
David Beckham admits he's always eyeing the next superstar with Inter Miami - despite already boasting one of the world's biggest names in Lionel Messi.
Miami kick-off their new MLS season this weekend when they host New York City at the Chase Stadium. The pressure is on Beckham, Miami's co-owner, to deliver after tasting success in the Supporters' Shield last season - but the big one they want is a maiden MLS Cup triumph.
To rub salt in Beckham's wounds, the trophy's current holders are his former club LA Galaxy, who he spent five years with as a player after leaving Real Madrid. Miami have splashed the cash in recent years as they bid to achieve their dream, signing Messi as well as his veteran megastar pals Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba.
And in the new Apple TV+ docuseries Onside: Major League Soccer - which provides unprecedented access to players, coaches and clubs during the 2024 season - Beckham doesn't mince his words when revealing his ambitions for Inter Miami. And despite having the four Barcelona icons already in his ranks, he's not resting on his laurels.
READ MORE: 'I played with Lionel Messi and found the way he greeted people at training strange'READ MORE: Lionel Messi tells friend where his next move is after Inter Miami – 'My place is there'Speaking with honesty, he said: "You know, my dream was always to bring the best players to Miami. It's not just about bringing the best player there ever was (Messi). We've brought in four superstars in our team.
"Our vision, we wanted to create one of the biggest clubs in the world - and I just think it's good for the sport, I think it's good for the club, I think it's great for the league.
"It's a tough league. And it's a tough league to win a championship but as an owner of Miami, we want to win - it's simple as that."
He added: "Yes, we've got great players here at the moment in Leo, Sergio, Jordi and Luis. But we have to always look forward. We also have to have conversations about 'okay where do we go next. What do we do next? Who do we bring in?' And I think this is a league that really needs stars."
Beckham's Inter Miami partner Jorge Mas is evidently on the same page. And in a warning to their MLS rivals, the club's co-owner suggested they'll continue to sign marquee players in a big to become a global powerhouse.
Mas added in the docuseries: "My first meeting with David, we shared a vision that we just don't want to be another Major League Soccer club. More important to both of us, is that it'd be a global team.
"We're building our Galacticos. We always want to have players to attract global attention. I'd like to think that if we're able to seize the moment, we will be successful and people will always look at this and say, 'Hey the guys at Inter Miami changed Major League Soccer to be one of the best leagues in the world.' But to be able to achieve this, it's about winning."
Onside: Major League Soccer is available from 21 February globally on Apple TV+
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