Established in 2018, the club began playing in the Eastern Conference of Major League Soccer (MLS) during the 2020 season. The club garnered international attention before its founding because of club president and co-owner David Beckham and again in 2023 when eight-time Ballon d'Or and World Cup winner Lionel Messi signed for the club on a free transfer. Following the signing, the club won its first major trophy, the expanded 2023 Leagues Cup, the North American zonal competition for the CONCACAF region.