How to get millionaire football talent for free.

Before multi-millionaire midfield maestro Lionel Messi has kicked a ball Stateside – for  David Beckham’s Inter Miami – another player at the club, with Argentinian roots, made headlines this weekend. An exciting teenage prospect that cost the club – precisely nothing !  

Messi’s millions.

Messi – who was earning $45 million a year at Paris Saint-Germain – could earn between $125 and $150 million over the next two-and-a-half years by playing for Inter Miami in Florida. His talents are needed at more than ever at Inter Miami. It is without a win in 10 games and at the foot of the league. 

Reports say the Messi deal is as complex as it is huge. A mixture of  salary, bonuses and equity, backed by major sponsors Apple and Adidas, designed to comply with strict salary caps in MLS.

Messi debut set for July 21.

Messi is set to make his debut on July 21, in Miami, against Mexican team Cruz Azul in the league cup. It is being hailed as a day that will change the profile of Major League Soccer forever and there will be a sell out crowd along with more singers, bands and dancers than a country fair.

Meanwhile, another homegrown Messi-in-the-making grabbed the headlines, this weekend, with a goal to remember away to DC United.

The Messi of tomorrow ?

His name is Benjamin Cremaschi – make a note of that name  – who scored his first goal for Inter Miami, in the 59th minute. Cremaschi received the ball just outside the penalty area; he took a touch and then calmly curled the ball into the corner of the net like a senior pro. 

Eighteen-year-old Cremaschi is a precocious talent who has been called up by Argentina’s youth side with the next World Cup in mind.

The son of a rugby international.

Cremaschi comes from a sporting family – his father Pablo played international rugby for Argentina. He was born in Miami and  has been playing football there since he was six–years-old; he came up through neighbourhood teams and progressed through the youth structure at Inter Miami.

In the 2-2 draw with DC United at the weekend, Cremaschi was one of  five homegrown players on the pitch that, between them, did not cost Inter Miami one penny in transfer fees. 

A shrewd bit of business by entrepreneur Beckham;  creating your own stars in a league that has too few. 

Nurture it like Beckham

Surely, Beckham must be  inspired by his former boss at Manchester United  Alex Ferguson who spent years building a group of the finest young players ever to lace up a pair of boots: Giggs, Beckham, the Neville brothers and Butt. He defied the old adage that you can’t win anything with kids; championship after championship.      

It is not rocket science.All you need is a robust youth set up and dedicated coaches with a sharp eye for talent. 

Surely, given the spiralling costs of the modern game, it makes business sense to be a creator and vendor of valuable talent; rather than a mere buyer of expensive talent.