Pep Guardiola is confident Lionel Messi will thrive at Inter Miami after the Argentine confirmed his move to the MLS.
Messi has spent the last two years at PSG but it was decided that his contract in Paris would not be extended, leaving the World Cup winner with a decision to make on his future. Offers came in from Saudi Arabia whilst Barcelona were looking to bring him back to the Nou Camp.
Messi though opted for a move to Florida and will join the new MLS franchise with whom David Beckham is involved. It brings to an end his career in Europe and Guardiola is confident of his success in America whilst giving little else away.
The Manchester City boss told reporters: "I am out of this situation, you know more about it than I do. If in the end Leo decides to go to the United States, I am sure he will do well and that is the best decision for him. I ignore the inner gossip. And the money over there is very good, I won't comment about it."
Guardiola coached Messi for four years at Barcelona when the Argentine produced, arguably, the best football of his career, winning the Ballon d'Or on four successive occasions. The Catalan has continued to pour huge praise on his former player whenever questioned.
Messi is set to earn north of £40m whilst at Inter Miami - a hefty salary, but far away from the numbers he could've pocketed had he taken up an offer to join Cristiano Ronaldo in the Middle East. The Argentine and his family are regular visitors to Miami however and own a property there.
The former Barcelona man has long spoken of his plan to eventually play in the MLS before his career was over and Inter Miami have presented him with that opportunity. Messi's World Cup exploits could yet see him land an eighth Ballon d'Or, further extending his record.
He maintains though that individual accolades are now irrelevant having achieved his last remaining goal of World Cup glory with Argentina. Messi confessed: "Does the Ballon d'Or matter to me? No, it's no longer important to me. I've always said; the individual prizes are not what matters to me.
"The collective ones are the most important. The most important prize at the moment is the World Cup, the greatest prize for me [2022] was my last World Cup. I will see how things go, but in principle, no, I will not go to the next World Cup. I have achieved everything in football. There is nothing left."
