Fort Lauderdale: Lionel Messi emerged from behind a curtain, took a few steps along a runaway in the rain set up on the pitch at Inter Miami Stadium and walked over to David Beckham for a big hug. His trip was complete. The wait for Inter Miami was over. Finally, Messi arrived.
Inter Miami – after years of scheming, pleading and hoping – introduced arguably the game’s biggest star on Sunday night, showcasing their newest franchise player in his pink No. 10 jersey that millions will buy over the weeks and months to come.
“I’m sure we’re going to have a lot of wonderful experiences,” Messi told the crowd.
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WATCH Lionel Messi’s scintillating presentation ceremony in Miami…
Lionel Messi’s introduction to MLS is surreal to watch.
He won the World Cup eight months ago and was voted the tournament’s best player.
The Miami stadium is sold out in the pouring rain and fans are buying $200 jerseys outside.
A historic moment for MLS.pic.twitter.com/OyN1ArARPa— Joe Pompliano (@JoePompliano) July 17, 2023
Sunday was the first. Almost all seats were taken despite horrific weather conditions that delayed the show, and no one seemed to care about the pouring rain that poured down throughout the evening. “I’m very moved to be here in Miami, to be with you,” Messi said. “I want to thank you, all of you, on behalf of my family, for the kindness you have extended to me.”
Beckham, co-owner and team chairman, had huge dark spots on his blue blazer from the rain. It was going to take more than a downpour to ruin this party, the one where the fans were roaring and the music was exploding.
“Tonight is a typical Miami welcome for one of the greatest players to ever play the game,” Beckham said on the telecast of the show. “The fact that we have our fans here, celebrating this moment…that’s what we’ve created and we’re very proud of that.
Principal owner Jorge Mas added: “When David and I first met and dreamed of what Inter Miami stands for, it started with the freedom to dream. And we dreamed of not only bringing in elite players and the best players, but also the best player to ever step into the boots – and his name is Lionel Andrés Messi.
When Inter Miami started to float the idea that this would be the team to land Messi and bring the World Cup champion to Major League Soccer, there was no shortage of people who were, to say the least, skeptical. about the realism of a plan. was. Among them: MLS commissioner Don Garber. Yes, even the man who ran the league had a bit of doubt.
No more. Messi in Miami is not just crazy talk. It happened, with Messi now tasked with lifting a side that currently have the fewest points in the MLS standings and are mired in an 11-game winless streak.
“Here we are today with a player who in my opinion is without a doubt not only a generational player but, in my opinion, the greatest of all time,” Garber said. “He’s been through a process throughout his decision-making period over the last few months, if not last year, to figure out where he’s going to play. Many of you have heard us say that we want the MLS is a league of choice, a league of choice for players, for fans, for partners and, ultimately, for investors.
The event billed as “The Unveil” happened at the team’s stadium in Fort Lauderdale. It comes a day after Messi, MLS and Inter Miami finalized his signing throughout the 2025 season. It’s the start of an eventful week for Messi with his new club. His first official training session which will be open to journalists is scheduled for Tuesday and – if all goes as planned – he will play in a League Cup game against Cruz Azul on Friday. It could also be the Miami debut of World Cup winner Sergio Busquets, a Spanish midfielder who completed his long-awaited signing with the club on Sunday until the 2025 season. Busquets, who turned 35 on Sunday, and Messi, 36, were previously teammates at Barcelona.
“It’s a special and exciting opportunity that I’m very happy to take,” said Busquets.
Messi, a World Cup champion for Argentina and a seven-time Ballon d’Or winner as the best player in the world in a given year, joins a club with the fewest points in MLS and is mired in a streak of 11 games without a win. Inter Miami opened the season with two wins and have gone 3-14-3 since. He has 12 games left in MLS this season and he’s 12 points away from a playoff spot – so he’ll need a ton of wins just to stand a chance.
The club previously announced that Messi’s contract would be for 2 1/2 seasons and would pay him between $50m and $60m a year, bringing the total contract value to between $125m and $150m in cash only. There are other factors whose value is not known. “It should be fun. … This trip here in Miami has been epic,” Garber said.
Messi’s greatness is not in question; he led Argentina to the World Cup last December and is still generally regarded as one of the best scorers in the world, if not the best. That said, not everyone thinks Messi coming to MLS will be a walk in the park, even for a legend.