Who Are the Mas Brothers, Billionaires Who Own Lionel Messi’s New Team Inter Miami With David Beckham?

Lionel Messi, widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time, surprised everyone with his move to MLS side Inter Miami. The club lacks a storied history as the club formed in 2018 and debuted in the 2020 MLS season. Messi will play under David Beckham, the Manchester United icon, who not only co-owns but also serves as president of Inter Miami.

Joining him in team ownership are billionaire brothers Jorge Mas and Jose Mas who will also soon be Lionel Messi’s new bosses. Though David Beckham is a household name among soccer fans worldwide, the Mas brothers are not quite as familiar. Henceforth, we’ll provide an overview of everything you need to know about them.

Jorge and Jose Mas: everything you need to know

Jorge and Jos Mas are extremely wealthy and successful business moguls. The story of the Mas brothers started with their father, Jorge Mas Canosa, who was born in Cuba. After the Cuban Revolution, Jorge fled to the United States, where he joined the military. Later, in 1969, Mas Canosa acquired the Puerto Rican Telephone Company with the aim of breaking into the US market.

Jorge Mas, the elder of the Mas brothers, took over the company in 1994, and this was the beginning of a new era for the Mas family. Jorge is mainly responsible for the company’s international success, which is now called MasTec. The company specializes in fiber optic cable network installations and is now worth several billions of dollars.

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Jose Mas, the younger of the Mas brothers, is the current CEO of MasTec, the engineering and infrastructure company. He is also the president of the Spanish soccer club Real Zaragoza. Jose Mas’s estimated net worth is at least $341 million, although this figure may be higher when taking into account other stocks and shares.

Jorge Mas, on the other hand, is one of the wealthiest men in the United States, with a net worth of $1.2 billion. This impressive sum is mainly from his ownership of 15% of shares in MasTec. But their wealth is not just about money; they have also invested in Inter Miami.

When did the Mas brothers join David Beckham’s Inter Miami?

The formation of Inter Miami goes all the way back to 2007 when David Beckham signed with LA Galaxy. His contract offered him the option to purchase an expansion team for just $25 million. After triggering the option in 2014, Beckham announced his intentions to establish the team in Miami.

In 2018, after four years of securing a stadium deal, Inter Miami was officially launched. The original ownership group included Bolivian tech businessman Marcelo Claure and Japanese businessman Masayoshi Son alongside Beckham and the Mas brothers.

However, in 2021, Jorge and Jose Mas joined forces with Beckham to buy out Claure and Son’s stakes in the club. It remains unknown what share of the club is owned by each individual owner. But at the same time as the buyout, Ares Management also came on board as a preferred $150 million equity investor.

The brothers’ role and investment in the team

After examining their journey with MLS, it’s worth taking a look at the Mas brothers’ roles within the team. While Jose Mas is a co-owner alongside David Beckham, Jorge Mas plays a much larger role. As the CEO and managing owner of Inter Miami, he not only co-owns the team but also oversees its operations.

Since the inception of the team, the owners have spent roughly $44 million on big signings. This includes signings such as Argentine star Matías Pellegrini and Mexican player Rodolfo Pizarro. With a current valuation of around $600 million, Inter Miami’s owners are clearly invested in making this team a success. And now they have made a statement out of it with the signing of Lionel Messi.

The Mas brothers’ role in the transfer of Lionel Messi

Sources report that the Mas brothers spearheaded negotiations to bring Lionel Messi to Inter Miami. During his visit to Spain, they crafted an irresistible offer that was impossible for Messi to turn down. As a result, Messi is officially slated to become one of the top-paid athletes in all sports competitions in the United States with an impressive annual salary of approximately $54 million.

Additionally, he has been offered a profit-sharing agreement with Apple and Adidas, two major sponsors of MLS. It is believed that these deals will be based on the amount of revenue generated by the legendary Argentine. To sweeten the deal even further, it’s been reported that Messi has been given a contract similar to that of David Beckham’s, which includes a 35 percent stake in Inter Miami.

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As Lionel Messi begins a new chapter in his illustrious career with Inter Miami, fans worldwide can only wait and see how the star will fit into this exciting team owned in part by the Mas brothers. What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comments.