Lionel Messi tried to convince Manchester United cult hero to join Inter Miami as private phone call revealed

It takes a lot to decline a request from Lionel Messi, but one former Manchester United defender did just that.

The 36-year-old Messi, with eight Ballon d’Ors, is widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time. Rising through Barcelona’s youth ranks, he won 10 La Liga titles and four Champions League trophies before leaving in 2021. He then joined Paris Saint-Germain, winning two Ligue 1 titles in his two seasons there.

Last summer, Messi moved to Inter Miami, co-owned by David Beckham, and quickly lifted the 2023 Leagues Cup with the MLS team. Several of his former Barcelona teammates, including Jordi Alba, Luis Suarez, and Sergio Busquets, have joined him at Inter Miami.

Messi also tried to recruit some of his international teammates, including former United defender Marcos Rojo. Rojo joined United in 2014 from Sporting Lisbon for £16m, scored twice in 122 games, and won the FA Cup, League Cup, and Europa League during his time at Old Trafford. After a loan to Estudiantes, he left United permanently in 2021 to join Boca Juniors, where he currently plays.

Rojo revealed that Messi tried to convince him to come to Inter Miami, but he chose to stay at Boca Juniors. Speaking to Radio La Red, Rojo said: “Leo called me. It wasn’t just anyone or an intermediary; I spoke with Leo Messi, who told me about the possibility of going to Inter. Imagine what that means for any footballer.

“The truth is I was not convinced to leave Boca. I had recently renewed. The only thing I did was communicate with Roman to tell him about the situation and to tell him that if he needed me here, I was going to stay. I wasn’t convinced to leave, I didn’t want to leave. If he told me that he needed me here for this year, I was 100% convinced to continue in Boca, and I want to continue doing it.”