Explained: Why Lionel Messi didn’t follow Cristiano Ronaldo to Saudi Arabia as Sergio Aguero reflects on Inter Miami transfer

• Portuguese superstar now on the books of Al-Nassr
• Argentine great offered deal by team in Middle East
• Opted to chase the American dream instead

WHAT HAPPENED? The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner generated intense speculation regarding his future after taking the decision not to extend his contract at Paris Saint-Germain. A return to Barcelona for the iconic Argentine was discussed, as was a lucrative deal in the Middle East that would have reunited Messi with eternal rival Ronaldo – who is now on the books at Al-Nassr. One all-time great decided not to tread the same path as another, with Messi now chasing the American dream with the Florida-based franchise co-owned by Manchester United and England legend David Beckham.

WHAT THEY SAID: Aguero, who played alongside Messi for the Argentina national team, has told Stake.com of why Messi and Ronaldo bid farewell to European football while taking their respective careers in different directions: “Well, I think that at the end of this stage, with the age that Leo and Cristiano are, and many players aged 32 and 33 maybe they are tired of so much demand to be at a high level, and I think that Leo opted for him and his family to be well and to be able to play as relaxed as possible; and in the other case if he had been playing in Europe, obviously that the requirement is different and so he can’t play his last years the way he wanted, which is to enjoy, right?

“And obviously I think that between Miami and Arabia, I think he chose Miami for convenience. Miami is a nice place, there are lots of Latinos, and I think he also saw it from the family side, which I think they can fit quite well in Miami, and in Arabia it can be more complicated, right? I think he saw nothing more than that, and well after that it’s each one’s decisions, but Cristiano maybe he’s a different player than Leo and he has made a decision to go to Arabia for other reasons that he will surely know about, but in the end after all knowing Leo I know more or less which way he comes from, I don’t know Cristiano very well and I can’t say his reasons either, right?”

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Messi was reported to have been offered a contract by a club in the Middle East that would have been worth even more than the record-breaking deal that Ronaldo is working on at Al-Nassr. He was to snub that approach, along with interest from Barca, in order to take on a new challenge in the United States.

IN TWO PHOTOS:

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WHAT NEXT? Messi has made an immediate impact with Inter Miami – as A-list stars flock to catch a glimpse of him in action – with the 2022 World Cup winner netting five goals through three games as he seeks to reverse the fortunes of a side that had been struggling for a spark prior to his arrival.