Argentine soccer star Lionel Messi has signed with Inter Miami until 2025, the US club announced on Saturday July 15, and is expected to be officially unveiled by his new club on Sunday before making his league debut on July 21. North America (Major League Soccer, MLS).
In addition to winning the World Cup with Argentina last year, the 36-year-old striker has also been named Ballon d’Or seven times. “I am very happy to start this new phase of my career with Inter Miami and in the United States”he said Saturday, quoted in a news release. “It is a fantastic opportunity and together we will continue this wonderful project. Our goal is to work towards the achievement of the set goals and I look forward to contributing to this”.added the world champion.
“I can’t wait to see Messi enter the pitch”
Inter Miami are currently bottom of the East Division of MLS, the North American league, and on Friday they will face Mexican club Cruz Azul at home in the Leagues Cup, which brings together Americans, Canadians and Mexicans.
The arrival of Messi, who appeared at Barcelona between 2004 and 2021, is the most important event for MLS since that of Englishman David Beckham – who became one of the owners of Inter Miami – at Los Angeles Galaxy in 2007.
Beckham had made his debut for Inter Miami in MLS in 2020 after a long search for a stadium for this new team. “Ten years ago, when I decided to start a new team in Miami, I said I dreamed of bringing the greatest players in the world to this amazing city, players who would share the same ambition as mine when I joined the LA Galaxy. contribute to the development of soccer in the United States and build a legacy for the next generation of the game we love so much.”recalled the former England international.
“Today that dream came true. I couldn’t be more proud to see a player of Leo’s caliber [Messi] join our club and I am also happy to welcome a friend and his family to the Inter Miami community. The next phase of our adventure begins and I can’t wait to see him take the field.”He added.
Imminent arrival of the Spaniard Sergio Busquets
The coach of the club, Gerardo “Tata” Martino, has already coached Messi twice: in Barcelona in the 2013-2014 season, winning the Spanish Super Cup, and from 2014 to 2016 in the Argentina national team. Messi, regarded as the greatest current player, also won the Copa America with his national team in 2021 and holds the record of 103 goals scored in 175 appearances for the Argentina national team.
“We are more than happy to see that the greatest player in the world has chosen Inter Miami and MLSunderlined the manager of this championship, Don Garber. His decision speaks to the rise and energy of MLS and our sport in North America. We have no doubts that Messi will prove to the world that MLS can host the best players. »
The Argentine will make his first public appearance for Inter Miami on Sunday in a colorful ceremony likely to bring together 18,000 people. On Monday he will hold a press conference and on Tuesday he will take part in his first training session. “We have promised to build an ambitious club that will attract the best players in the world”said the executive director of the club, Jorge Mas.
Messi will be joined in Miami by another world-class player, Spaniard Sergio Busquets, with ambitions to lift the club off the bottom of the table. “Leo” also won the Champions League four times, an Olympic gold medal and several Spanish championships. He had arrived at Paris-Saint-Germain in the last two seasons but, if he has just won the French championship, he has failed to hang a new Champions League on his record with the French club.
