Rodrigo De Paul has joined Inter Miami, and David Beckham emphasized the importance of the signing not only for the club, but for Major League Soccer as a whole.
Inter Miami secured the signing of Rodrigo De Paul on loan from Atletico Madrid through the end of the 2025 season, with an option to make the move permanent through 2029. After the deal was officially announced, David Beckham highlighted how significant the transfer is — not just for the Herons, but for Major League Soccer.
“Rodrigo is a player I’ve admired for many years,” Beckham said in an interview shared on Inter Miami’s official website. “As a leader he has brought so much to the teams he has played for – especially with his national team Argentina.”
After praising De Paul’s impact on the international stage in recent years, the English legend spoke about what the 31-year-old midfielder will bring to the Herons on the field. “He brings experience, passion and quality to our team and to our city,” he said.
But the main reason Beckham expressed excitement about having the Argentine star at his club is the stature De Paul has earned over the course of his career. “I’m excited to welcome another World Cup winning player not just to Inter Miami, but also to MLS.”
Now Javier Mascherano’s team will feature three World Cup champions on the pitch at the same time. In addition to De Paul, there’s obviously Lionel Messi. Both were crowned world champions with Argentina at Qatar 2022 and have built a strong partnership both on and off the field. The third is Sergio Busquets, who won the World Cup with Spain in South Africa in 2010.
Which other World Cup winners have played in MLS?
Currently, Inter Miami are one of just two MLS teams with a World Cup-winning player on their roster. The other is Los Angeles FC, who feature goalkeeper Hugo Lloris — champion with France in Russia 2018 and runner-up in Qatar 2022.
But over the years, other players with similar status have also featured in the league. Lloris’ former teammate at Los Angeles was Olivier Giroud, who played there between 2024 and 2025 after also winning the 2018 World Cup with France. Until last year, another Argentine World Cup winner from Qatar — Tiago Almada — played for Atlanta United. The young midfielder also holds the unique distinction of being the only player in history to win the World Cup while playing for an American club.
Other notable examples from previous eras include Germans Bastian Schweinsteiger (Chicago Fire) and Lothar Matthaus (NY MetroStars); Brazilians Kaka (Orlando City), Kleberson (Philadelphia Union), and Denilson (FC Dallas); and of course Pele, who ended his career with the New York Cosmos in 1980 — well before the creation of MLS.
From: bolavip.com