The transfer market in European Football has seen a massive paradigm shift in the last winter market and this time in the summer market as more and more players are getting lucrative offers from abroad, mostly from the middle-east nations like Saudi Arabia and Qatar and also from the Major League Soccer in the USA. Some of the offers have been close to astronomic with the salary offers being close to ten times what the players got in Europe. Cristiano Ronaldo was one of the few who led this paradigm shift signing a bumper contract with Saudi Pro League club Al-Nassr in January 2023 after his contract was mutually terminated with Manchester United. This summer the Saudi Arabian clubs have taken prominent players like Karim Benzema and N'Golo Kante leave Europe. Now, another superstar of football Lionel Messi is also leaving Europe to join Major League Soccer club Inter Miami.  Inter Miami Announce Signing of Lionel Messi, Release Fantastic Teaser Video.

Lionel Messi, since joining Barcelona academy La Masia in 2001 from his childhood Argentina club Newell's Old Boys, have been part of Barcelona throughout his career until his recent move to PSG due to the club's financial restrictions. This summer, he had several deals on the table including one from Saudi Arabia club Al-Hilal, but he chose to move to a new direction. He chose to move to USA to play in the MLS and be the face the next phase of football in USA. Cristiano Ronaldo, who originally belonged from Lisbon in Portugal, played for Sporting Lisbon since joining them in 2003 and then created his legacy in Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus and then ended his European career again in Manchester United. For the last 21 years, Messi and Ronaldo have been part of European football together and this is for the first time in more than two decades. they will not be part of it.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 09, 2023 12:09 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).