Officials who are chosen to referee matches involving Lionel Messi will need to be chosen carefully by the MLS, according to the league’s top whistle man. Otherwise, the former Barcelona legend could be targetted by other players, just like David Beckham was.
Messi is expected to complete his move to Inter Miami this month ahead of an anticipated debut against Cruz Azul in the Leagues Cup on July 22. When he arrives, he will quickly become the highest-paid player in MLS history by some distance and the fact that he turned down a reported £78.3m offer to play in Saudi Arabia, preferring a move to the States is not likely to cut him much slack with his tough-tackling opponents.
It was a familiar tale for Beckham when he completed a surprise switch from Real Madrid to LA Galaxy in 2007. The Englishman was earning 500 times more than the then £10,100 minimum salary many players were surviving on, alongside, in many cases, part-time jobs.
Bitterness around the gulf in earnings did not take long to transcend to the pitch, with FC Dallas defender Adrian Serioux receiving a straight red card for a crunching tackle on the former England captain in 2008.
According to Beckham himself, Serioux then leant over him and said: “Welcome, baby. Welcome. We’ve dedicated our lives to the game and will have nothing to retire on.
The journeyman defender was unapologetic in the wake of the incident, telling the British press: “He’s great for MLS, but me and a few others are going after him. He’s made us feel unappreciated … If he’s on the ball, he’s there to be hit hard.
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