MIAMI — Soccer superstar Lionel Messi made it official Wednesday — he is coming to Inter Miami and joining Major League Soccer.

After months of speculation, Messi revealed his decision in interviews with Spanish news outlets Mundo Deportivo and Sport. He noted in the interview with Sport that some details still need to be worked out but that he has made his choice.

“After winning the World Cup and not being able to return to Barcelona, it was my turn to go to the league of the United States to live football in another way,” said Messi, the seven-time winner of the Ballon d’Or, the trophy presented annually to the best player in the world.

The Argentinian soccer great is joining a Miami franchise that has been led by another global soccer icon in David Beckham since its inception but has yet to make any real splashes on the field. Inter Miami is in last place in MLS's Eastern Conference, just a few days removed from the firing of coach Phil Neville.

That likely will soon change. One of Inter Miami’s owners, Jorge Mas, tweeted out a photo of a darkly silhouetted Messi jersey shortly Messi talked with the Spanish media.

The move had been reported earlier in the day by journalist Guillem Balague, who wrote a book with Messi. He said on Twitter that the decision has been made, and published a report for the BBC saying the same.

Messi's contract with Paris Saint-Germain ended Saturday, and he has been working to decide on his next soccer home.

Inter Miami had been rumored as a possible destination for the Argentinian soccer great in the past because of the city's international appeal and heavy Latino influence, but he had remained in Europe to play. 

The Athletic and the Miami Herald had reported earlier that a financial package was being assembled by Major League Soccer, Inter Miami and Apple — which has a 10-year, $2.5 billion broadcast contract with MLS — to lure him to the Miami club. The Athletic reported that German athletic apparel and footwear giant Adidas could also sweeten the deal.

No financial terms have been revealed.

MLS leaders have long wanted to see Messi, 35, play in the United States, saying he would boost the visibility of the league and increase subscribers to Apple's broadcasts of the games.

The MLS has previously been home to other international soccer greats playing later in their careers. Beckham, a former English soccer icon, starred for MLS's L.A. Galaxy, and is now a co-owner of Inter Miami. Brazilian great Kaka played for the Orlando City Lions.

Messi, who has a commercial contract to promote tourism in Saudi Arabia, also had been linked to Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal. The country has been trying to bring in some of soccer's most high profile, if aging, stars such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema. 

Messi spent most of his career playing in Barcelona. His father, Jorge, was in the Spanish city Monday, which had boosted speculation that his son might return to the club.

Messi has more than 800 goals in his career, making him one of the greatest scorers in the sport’s history. In more than 17 years of representing Argentina on the international stage, he has scored 102 goals against 38 different national team opponents. He scored twice in last year’s World Cup final against France, a match that officially ended 3-3 with Argentina prevailing in penalty kicks.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.