Revered as arguably the greatest football player to ever lace a pair of boots, fresh from a stunning FIFA World Cup win with his native, Argentina, Messi, who has won gold across multiple seasons in professional football – would venture stateside for the first time in his professional career – joining MLS (Major League Soccer) with the David Beckham-led, Inter Miami. 

A global sports icon, Messi’s stunning move to the United States has already garnered much attention amid a media frenzy, with the Argentine veteran netting five goals in just three games for his new side ahead of the commencing of the new MLS season.

And in the wake of Messi’s move to the MLS, following his stunning World Cup win with Argentina last December, betting has hit the roof on a number of markets, of the possibility of the multiple-time FIFA Ballon d’Or winner becoming the first recipient of the award to win gold whilst playing his club football in the United States. 

Promotions for online casinos offer multiple ways for consumers and bettors to play and wager on worldwide sports, including football, with Messi sure to rival Manchester City forward and treble-winning goalscoring ace, Erling Haaland in any conversation for FIFA Ballon d’Or spoils in their year’s iteration. 

Spending two series with French side and Ligue 1 dominators, Paris Saint Germain, Messi, who formed a formidable front three with former FC Barcelona teammate, Neymar, and the recently cast out, Kylian Mbappe – failed to deliver the Parisian club a much-sought-after, UEFA Champions League trophy – despite spending two seasons in the French capital. 

However, separating himself from fellow sport great, Cristiano Ronaldo in the eyes of many critics and football pundits last year in Qatar, Messi managed to guide Argentina to World Cup glory for the first time since 1986 – and the first occasion since the sad passing of former leader, Diego Maradona.

Drawing 3-3 after extra time, with Messi twice scoring – while now-former PSG teammate, Mbappe landed himself a stunning hat-trick, the former would convert from the spot as the first kicker, with follow-up strikes from Paulo Dybala, Leandro Paredes, and Gonzalo Montiel past French stopper, Hugo Lloris enough to land Argentina the Jules Rimet Cup in the Middle East. 

Landing the captaincy immediately following his move to Inter Miami CF, Messi has since been joined in ‘The Sunshine State’ alongside former FC Barcelona teammates, full back, Jordi Alba, and defensive midfield maestro, Sergio Busquets. 

And in a summer which has saw a slew of notable and high-profile transfers to Saudi Arabia for massive sums of money, the aforenoted, Ronaldo – who moved to Al Nassr from Manchester United following a brief season-and-a-half salvo with Erik ten Hag’s side in the last two years, appears to have been the catalyst for an attempted entry into mainstream football for the Saudi Pro League. 

Despite receiving a reportedly eye-watering $1,600,000,000 offer over the period of three-years to make a move to the Saudi Pro League, Messi has decided to trade Paris for South Florida – taking his uber talents to the MLS. 

On many markets to boot, Messi’s arrival to Florida to link up with Inter Miami CF, has seen the club’s odds slashed as low as +2,200 to win the MLS Cup this season. 

Over the course of his storied tenure with the aforenoted Catalan giants, FC Barcelona, Messi, who racked up a stunning 672 goals in 778 appearance for the reigning La Liga champions, landed a slew of league titles, Spanish cups, and multiple UEFA Champions League crowns – under the tutelage of both current Manchester City head coach, Pep Guardiola, and newly-minted PSG manager, Luis Enrique – has traded European football for an MLS experience in his venture to the United States this season.

Featuring against Orlando City, Messi guided Inter Miami CF to a 3-1 victory, scoring in both the first and second half, in between a spot kick goal from Venezuelan striker, Josef Martinez. 

Turning 36-years-old just earlier this summer, whilst Messi’s stint in the United States and whilst competing in the MLS may be short-lived, the Newell Old Boys product is currently priced as short as -500 to win the golden ball for the staggering eighth FIFA Ballon d’Or – ahead of the aforenoted Norweigan goalscorer, Haaland. 

And despite his age, Messi, who managed to turn in an impressive 16 goals and a further 16 assists during his final season with former side, PSG – is sure to excel while plying his trade for inter Miami CF in the MLS – netting five goals since joining the Floridian side just earlier this summer. 

Whilst the UEFA Champions League record of Cristiano Ronaldo in terms to outright goalscorer in competition history will likely remain in tact with Messi’s move from PSG to Inter Miami CF – as well as the Portuguese’s recent admission that his days in European football are over, Messi is surefire to add to his stunning goal tally whilst playing in the United States for the foreseeable future. 

As well as his league goal exploits, Messi also managed to surpass 100 goals whilst competing in the FIFA World Cup in Qatar last December in the Middle East – en route to a legacy sealing, and G.O.A.T stealing status to boot. 

The most prolific Ballon d’Or victor in the famous ‘Golden Ball’s’ prestigious history; Lionel Messi, is the current outlying favorite to win the award for a whopping eighth go round, after guiding Argentina to a FIFA World Cup win in Qatar against holders, France.

Messi, who captained his national side to FIFA World Cup glory last month in the dessert in a Qatar-hosted Coupe du Monde, managed to not just convert from the spot in the resulting penalty shoot out – but managed to net twice himself in regulation time, despite a hat trick of goals from Parisian teammate, Kylian Mbappe. 

The Argentine star has won the prestigious Ballon d’Or on a staggering four separate occasions already during an unrivaled professional career – spanning the youth setup in his native Argentina, as well as a gold laden spell at FC Barcelona, before a surprising move to Paris Saint Germain. 

Landing a spectacular seven Ballon d’Or wins between 2009 and 2021, Messi first achieved the award as part of a phenomenal FC Barcelona side, minting themselves as European Champions with a Rome win over Manchester United.

In the time since, Messi has stood proud of the often-compared Cristiano Ronaldo, with the Portuguese native himself netting five Ballon d’Or titles – two proud of the following trio of Michel Platini, Johan Cruyff, and Marco van Basten. 

At the time of publication, bookies and markets place Messi as short as 2/7 to win a staggering eighth Ballon d’Or award, far ahead of Kylian Mbappe (7/2), Erling Haaland (11/1), and Robert Lewandowski (22/1) – who would all land their maidan award should their gazump outright favorite, Messi. £20 no deposit bonus 

While Messi’s height continues to rise as he looks to land yet another Ballon d’Or triumph, the Argentine’s next closest rival to the award; Cristiano Ronaldo, has been put out to pasture by many within the footballing world – trading Manchester United for a shock move to Saudi Arabian side, Al-Nassr recently, following Portugal’s exit from the FIFA World Cup.

Set to land a ludicrous wage in a move to the Middle East, the ageing forward, who left Old Trafford and Erik ten Hag’s side on less than gentle terms – has been ridiculed for his big-money deal with the club, considering Saudi Arabia’s well-documented string of human rights violations, and attempt at sports washing. 

Messi’s continuance at the precipice of modern-day football, competing in a Paris Saint Germain side who look to topple Europe’s elite for the first time and clinch a UEFA Champions League crown this season, paired with his heralded capture of an elusive World Cup for the first time since the passing of Diego, has already separated him firmly in many’s eyes from Ronaldo. 

Expected to land a first Ballon d’Or since a spirited effort from Real Madrid frontman and French international, Karim Benzema last year, in what proved to be a UEFA Champions League winning season for Los Blancos, Messi has also been tipped to land a gleaming, Super Ballon d’Or – which has only previously been awarded to Alfredo di Stefano back in 1989, who guided Madrid to five consecutive European Cups.