FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.—Fans line up outside Inter Miami’s practice facility to watch Lionel Messi’s car drive away after training sessions. Players from opposing teams wait after matches to get his signature or just a simple handshake. His No. 10 jersey is everywhere in South Florida.
For Messi, these are reminders that he made the right choice. He could have continued his acclaimed career with another stint in Barcelona, where he rose to stardom. He could have signed a lucrative deal to play for Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia. He chose the unfamiliar—to travel stateside and play soccer in the United States, and he’s glad about it.
