Serie A: World Cup-winner Blaise Matuidi leaves Juventus, joins David Beckham's Inter Miami

Milan: 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.

Avoir été un membre de la famille @juventusfc est un rêve devenu réalité, un honneur. J'ai découvert une institution incroyable, des coéquipiers qui sont devenus plus que cela. Je resterai toujours votre fan numéro 1, ou plutôt numéro 14 🤍🖤 Merci, vraiment 🙌🏾#FinoAllaFine pic.twitter.com/xGEURvBB7i

— Blaise Matuidi (@MATUIDIBlaise) August 12, 2020

“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.