If the admiration and fandom of Lionel Messi is taking over American soccer, Inter Miami may well get to experience Messi-mania at its peak; in South America.
According to soccer journalist Hugo Balassone, the president of the Argentine Football Association has invited the high-flying South Florida club to partake in the 2024 Copa Libertadores.
Per the report, CONMEBOL chief Alejandro Dominguez requested that AFA president, Claudio Tapia, make an attempt to get Messi and Co. involved in the competition.
David Beckham’s Inter Miami are not the only club reportedly of interest, with other CONCACAF clubs, presumably mostly from Mexico and the U.S., set to be pitched for the tournament.
The Copa Libertadores is an annual tournament ongoing since 1960 and involves club teams from across South America.
In its current iteration, there is a 32-team group stage, with the final four joining via three qualification series.
There are four teams from each of the 10 CONMEBOL nations — Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela — at the beginning of qualification in January.
Regarding the 2023 Copa Libertadores, it is at the quarter-final stage – with the first leg of two-game ties beginning on August 22.
Argentine giants Boca Juniors are joined by compatriot club Racing Club in the final eight. Four other countries are represented; Brazil (Palmeiras and Fluminese), Bolivia (Bolivar), Paraguay (Club Olimpia) and Colombia (Deportivo Pereira).
Messi’s home nation are the most successful of all countries with 25 total titles, ahead of Brazil (22) and Uruguay (8).
Independiente (7) and Boca Juniors (6) have the most titles of any club, both hailing from Argentina.
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