Lionel Messi’s arrival at Inter Miami was celebrated with a welcoming party on Sunday in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. There, the new face of Major League Soccer (MLS) was unveiled to a stadium full of adoring supporters. Not even the pouring rain could ruin the event.
The ceremony, which was called “The Unveil,” took place at Miami’s home stadium and was attended by Messi’s adoring fans. This took place seven months after Messi led Argentina to victory at the World Cup in Qatar.
Following his introduction, the seven-time winner of the Ballon d’Or proceeded toward midfield along a spotlight-lined runway while wearing a T-shirt and trousers. He was then given his No. 10 shirt, after which he made a few quick statements in Spanish to the audience.
“I am very happy to have chosen to come to this city with my family, to have chosen this project, and I have no doubt that we are going to enjoy it very much,” stated Messi. “I am very happy to have chosen to come to this city with my family, to have chosen this project.”
“Not only are we going to have a wonderful time, but also wonderful things are going to take place. Thank you so much, and thank you to everyone for making today possible.
“I can’t wait to get started on my preparations for the competition. I still have the same strong drive as I’ve always had to compete, which is to truly want to win and to contribute to Miami’s further growth.
Following his speech, a video collection of well wishes was broadcast on the large screen inside the stadium. The movie contained words from people such as former NFL quarterback Tom Brady and NBA player Stephen Curry, among others.
Messi, who is 36 years old at the time, was afterwards joined on the field by his wife and three children, where they posed for photographs prior to additional pyrotechnics lighting up the night sky.
The announcement that Messi had signed a deal with Inter Miami that would keep him with the club through the year 2025 was made just one day prior to the function that was being conducted. On Friday, in a League Cup match against Cruz Azul of Mexico, Messi will be available to make his first appearance in a professional game.
The United States, Mexico, and Canada will be co-hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and the coming of Lionel Messi is a tremendous boost for the profile of soccer in the United States.
He will be playing for a Miami club that is co-owned by David Beckham, another global soccer icon.
Beckham addressed the crowd shortly before Messi was brought out and said, “Like all of you, I cannot wait to see Leo take the field in our colors.” Messi was then brought out.
“I would like to take this opportunity to welcome you all to the next chapter of our story.”
To ensure that the next chapter is a prosperous one, Messi will have a lot of work to do.
After 22 Major League Soccer matches, Miami has a total of 18 points and is currently in last place in the Eastern Conference with no wins to their name.
The next club that Lionel Messi would play for after his departure from Paris Saint-Germain was a topic of much conjecture.
According to Reuters, a source close to Messi revealed that the player was presented with a formal offer to join the Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal in a contract that was supposedly worth over $400 million per year.
PSG punished him for making a trip to Saudi Arabia, which caused him to miss a training session. As a result of the trip, there was rumors that he would be joining Cristiano Ronaldo in the desert kingdom. As a result of the trip, PSG suspended him.
In December of last year, the captain of Portugal’s national team Ronaldo signed a lucrative deal to play with Al Nassr.
Messi’s name was also mentioned in connection with a possible return to Barcelona, the Spanish club that he helped lead to 10 league wins, four Champions League crowns, and three Club World Cup victories.
However, Messi revealed his intention to play for Inter Miami in an interview with Mundo Deportivo and Sport daily at the beginning of June, despite the fact that a contract had not yet been signed by either party.