Officials who're chosen to referee matches involving Lionel Messi will have to be chosen rigorously by the MLS, based on the league's prime whistle man. Otherwise, the previous Barcelona legend could possibly be targetted by different gamers, similar to David Beckham was.

Messi is anticipated to finish his transfer to Inter Miami this month forward of an anticipated debut in opposition to Cruz Azul within the Leagues Cup on July 22. When he arrives, he'll rapidly develop into the highest-paid participant in MLS historical past by far and the truth that he turned down a reported £78.3m provide to play in Saudi Arabia, preferring a transfer to the States isn't more likely to reduce him a lot slack together with his tough-tackling opponents.

It was a well-recognized story for Beckham when he accomplished a shock swap from Real Madrid to LA Galaxy in 2007. The Englishman was incomes 500 occasions greater than the then £10,100 minimal wage many gamers have been surviving on, alongside, in lots of instances, part-time jobs.

Bitterness across the gulf in earnings didn't take lengthy to transcend to the pitch, with FC Dallas defender Adrian Serioux receiving a straight purple card for a crunching sort out on the previous England captain in 2008.

According to Beckham himself, Serioux then leant over him and stated: “Welcome, baby. Welcome. We’ve dedicated our lives to the game and will have nothing to retire on.”

The journeyman defender was unapologetic within the wake of the incident, telling the British press: “He’s great for MLS, but me and a few others are going after him. He’s made us feel unappreciated … If he’s on the ball, he’s there to be hit hard.”

The ugly incident has been recalled by the match referee Baldomero Toledo, who has drawn a parallel between that scenario and ones that Messi would possibly face when his Inter Miami profession will get underway.

Speaking to The Athletic, Toledo stated: “That’s a good example of how we had to protect those players when they got those nasty tackles. (Beckham’s) teammates, they wanted to make sure we protected him, as a player. If something happened, we needed to be ready to react within the game.”

There is an acceptance throughout the MLS that matches involving Messi will have to be dealt with rigorously, given the numerous improve in scrutiny every sport involving the Argentina captain could be put beneath.

One MLS coach instructed the identical outlet that: “He should get the (Michael) Jordan treatment. (He) should get every single call.”

But referees working for the US league insist that the league workplace has by no means tried to affect how the Professional Referees Organization (PRO) makes selections round managing any explicit participant.

PRO’s senior director of match officers, Alan Kelly, instructed The Athletic: “MLS don’t involve themselves in decision-making, or assignments, or any of that. We have a really good relationship with the competition department because we have to work together on a daily basis. It’s very collaborative from that point of view — but never where it’s impactful on decisions. If it ever reached a point where there was any undue interference, it would be stamped out immediately.”

Despite Kelly's declare, even the MLS' prime referee accepts that solely skilled officers are more likely to be chosen to work on video games involving Messi.

Robert Sibiga stated: “PRO will have to be very particular about who they’re going to bring. It cannot be someone who is going to just referee the game for the sake of the game. We have a lot of those referees on the roster. It has to be veterans. It has to be experienced referees.

"If we don’t, then we’re going to miss the mark and we’re going to do a disservice to the game.”

But PRO boss Kelly insists that the method of choosing a referee isn't that straightforward. He added: “What we try and do is give every club that world-class referee. Inevitably, that same club will also get the first or second-year referee. Look, in that first game? Undoubtedly there might be a more experienced referee in the first game.”