Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo: star duo on David Beckham’s Inter Miami wish list

Former England captain says ‘you never know what can happen in football’

David Beckham is the president of new Major League Soccer side Inter Miami CF
David Beckham is the president of new Major League Soccer side Inter Miami CF
(Image credit: Rhona Wise/AFP/Getty Images)

David Beckham would like to bring Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo to the United States to play for his new Major League Soccer (MLS) side Inter Miami CF.

Having had plans approved for a new 25,000-seater stadium, Sky Sports reports that Beckham is now on the lookout for star players to join the franchise.

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Although Barcelona forward Messi and Juventus striker Ronaldo are unlikely to leave their current clubs for the time being, Beckham hasn’t ruled out making a move for the star duo.

The 43-year-old said: “Everyone has their wish list, everyone does, but if you look at the way Leo and Cristiano are still playing, even at what you might think is the later stage of their careers, I don’t see it ending for them.

“They’re playing at such a high level that it’s hard to see them leaving the clubs they are at, but we will see. You never know what can happen in football.”

This season Messi, who’s 31, has scored 39 goals in 37 matches for Spanish giants Barcelona, including a sensational hat-trick last weekend against Real Betis in La Liga.

Ronaldo, who’s 34, left Real Madrid for Juventus last summer. In his first season in Italy he’s scored 24 goals in 36 games for the Serie A club.

Miami have to move quickly

As well as Man Utd and England, Beckham also played for Real Madrid, AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain and LA Galaxy before retiring in 2013.

With the 2020 season just a year away, he’s busy speaking to contacts about the potential new signings he could bring to the MLS club.

He added: “As an organisation, as a club, we are starting to look at players and possibilities, at what is possible.

“We’ve got a great team here and we’ll start piecing the things together, but we have to do that quick because it’s only a year away.

“I’ve been speaking to people over that time. People like David Gill, who is someone who has a huge amount of experience at Manchester United, asking him about the job he did there.”