Soccer legend Lionel Messi had many options for where to take his career after a stint at Paris Saint-Germain. So his decision to cross the pond and play in North America was surprising. But maybe it shouldn’t have been.
But he’s not the first global soccer superstar to make a late-career move to this side of the Atlantic — something he seemed to acknowledge when announcing his move to Miami and the MLS.
Vancouverites react to Lionel Messi coming to the MLS
International soccer superstar Lionel Messi announced on Wednesday he would be joining the MLS squad Inter Miami. Vancouver Whitecaps fans revelled at the possibility of Messi coming to Vancouver for a game.
“After winning the World Cup and not being able to return to Barcelona, it was my turn to go to the league of the United States to live football in another way,” said Messi, who is also a seven-time Ballon d’Or winner and four-time Champions League winner, among other accomplishments in the sport.
Here’s a few other players who have made the jump.
Pelé paves the way to New York
It was Pelé who paved the path for other superstars to come to North America nearly five decades ago.
Pelé runs onto the pitch at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., in August 1977. The football legend played in the North American Soccer League during his final three years of pro soccer. (The Associated Press)
The way the three-time World Cup winner saw it, he was also carving a path for the beautiful game itself.
Ontario’s then-premier Bill Davis, left, meets Pelé in July 1975 at Toronto’s Varsity Stadium ahead of a soccer match between the New York Cosmos and the Toronto Metros-Croatia. (CBC Archives)
At first, George Best denied reports that he was heading to Los Angeles.
“They have jumped the gun,” said Best, according to a Toronto Star news brief from Dec. 5, 1975, on reports about him signing a deal. “I still have other offers to consider and it might take a couple of months.”
George Best of the L.A. Aztecs plays in a match against the New York Cosmos in 1978. The Belfast-born soccer superstar also played for the Fort Lauderdale Strikers during his time in the North American Soccer League. (Tony Duffy/Allsport/Getty Images/Hulton Archive)
But the Belfast-born soccer great — a Ballon d’Or winner and former Manchester United forward — would indeed be taking the field for the L.A. Aztecs the following spring.
Franz Beckenbauer followed in Pelé’s footsteps by joining the New York Cosmos for four seasons beginning in 1977.
Franz Beckenbauer, left, battles for the ball during a match in May 1983. (The Associated Press)
The Cosmos won the league championship three times with Beckenbauer on their roster. He returned to Germany for two seasons before rejoining the Cosmos for his final season as a player in 1983.
Beckenbauer made his name internationally playing for West Germany and continentally in Europe playing for Bayern Munich.
It was big enough news for The National to take note that British soccer legend David Beckham was signing a North American soccer deal back in January 2007.
Soccer great David Beckham is seen practising at Toronto’s BMO Field in July 2008. (CBC Archives)
“He will, soccer fans hope, bring new life to the North American game,” The National‘s Adrienne Arsenault reported, the day Beckham’s deal with the L.A. Galaxy was announced.
Beckham, then 31, said he was heading to America not for the money, but for the chance “to hopefully build a club and a team that has got a lot of potential.”
The English midfielder would win two titles with the Galaxy in the years to come. A statue of Beckham now stands outside the stadium where the L.A. club plays.
And when Messi finally makes his Miami debut, likely sometime in July according to the Associated Press, he’ll have another global soccer superstar cheering him on, as Beckham is one of Inter Miami’s co-owners.
TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.
The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.
She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.
Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.
Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.
The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.
“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”
Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.
The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.
Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.
“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”
Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.
“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”
The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.
“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”
Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.
“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.
Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.
The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.
The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.
Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.
Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
