MILAN, Aug 13, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – France’s World Cup winner Blaise
Matuidi will join David Beckham’s Major League Soccer club Inter
Miami, the American club announced on Thursday.
Matuidi, 33, has left Italian champions Juventus by mutual consent
after three years, for the club co-owned by Beckham, his former Paris
Saint-Germain teammate.
“I made my decision a few weeks ago to join Inter Miami, rise to my
friend David Beckham’s challenge and win new trophies there. My family
and I can’t wait,” Matuidi wrote on Twitter.
Matuidi joined the Turin giants from Paris Saint-Germain in 2017 and
had one year left on his contract.
“I couldn’t be happier to welcome my friend Blaise to Inter Miami.
He is an exciting and gifted player and a great person,” said Beckham.
“To have a World Cup winner of Blaise’s quality in our new team is
such a proud moment – for us as owners and for our fans.
“For me personally, to have a former teammate joining our club is
very special and I can’t wait to welcome him and his beautiful family
to South Florida.”
The move comes less than a year before the European football
championships, postponed this summer because of the coronavirus
pandemic.
Matudi played in the 2018 World Cup final when France beat Croatia 4-2.
“Blaise is one of the most successful midfielders of his generation
and we’re thrilled to have him at Inter Miami,” added Paul McDonough,
Inter Miami’s Sporting Director.
“His world-class quality and leadership will be key attributes for the club.”
Matuidi won three Serie A titles, one Italian Cup and the Italian
Super Cup at Juventus, where he played 133 games in all competitions.
He helped the club to a ninth Serie A title in a row this season,
but the Italian giants crashed out of the Champions League in the last
16.
He also won four Ligue 1 titles during six years at PSG, having
previously played for French clubs Troyes and Saint Etienne.