Lionel Messi officially joins MLS’s Inter Miami
At an event called “La PresentaSÍon” by Inter Miami and staged at DRV PNK Stadium, the Argentine superstar added, “I’m sure we’re going to have many wonderful experiences.”
The scene was somewhat reminiscent of the raucous reception LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh got from Heat fans in July 2010 after they joined forces in Miami — except that introductory event had the benefit of taking place indoors. On Sunday, torrential rain and gusty wind delayed the event’s start, but the inclement conditions did little to dampen the enthusiasm of Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas.
“This is holy water!” Mas exclaimed of the raindrops.
A 60-year-old billionaire and Miami native who owns the four-year-old MLS club along with his brother, Jose Mas, and soccer luminary David Beckham, Mas called Sunday’s event “a gift and a celebration to the city that saw us born and who opened its arms to my family and so many others seeking freedom.”
Mas went on to introduce Messi as “the best No. 10 in the world.”
Many soccer fans argue Messi deserves even greater praise as the best ever in his sport. Among other accomplishments, he is the winner of a record seven world player of the year awards and the only man to be officially named the best player at a World Cup twice. Messi’s 806 goals across all competitions make him the second-most prolific scorer in soccer history, behind only rival Cristiano Ronaldo, and his 474 La Liga goals are by far the most in that league’s storied history.
Last month, Messi let it be known that he planned to join Inter Miami after two relatively frustrating seasons with Paris Saint-Germain. He earned enormous acclaim from the soccer world over 17 seasons with Barcelona’s senior squad, which he helped win four Champions League titles and 10 Spanish league titles. Messi capped a sterling international career last year by leading Argentina to a World Cup triumph, the nation’s first since 1986 and the only major achievement that had previously eluded him.
In Miami, he joins a recent expansion club mired at the bottom of the MLS standings. After starting this season with two wins, Inter Miami has gone 3-14-3 and has no victories in its past 11 matches.
“I’m very excited to start this next step in my career with Inter Miami and in the United States,” he said in a statement shared Saturday by his new club. “This is a fantastic opportunity and together we will continue to build this beautiful project. The idea is to work together to achieve the objectives we set, and I’m very eager to start helping here in my new home.”
The club said Messi will be available for its match Friday against Mexican side Cruz Azul, as part of the Leagues Cup tournament that includes all teams from MLS and Liga MX.
“Ten years ago, when I started my journey to build a new team in Miami, I said that I dreamt of bringing the greatest players in the world to this amazing city. … Today that dream came true,” Beckham, who boosted MLS’s visibility when he joined the Los Angeles Galaxy in 2007, said Saturday in a statement. “I couldn’t be prouder that a player of Leo’s caliber is joining our club, but I am also delighted to welcome a good friend, an amazing person and his beautiful family to join our Inter Miami community.”
Commissioner Don Garner said before Sunday’s introduction (via the AP) that “when you have the best player of all-time making Major League Soccer his league of choice, I think it’s a real testament to where MLS is and where it’s going in the years ahead.”
In addition to the jolt Inter Miami figures to get from Messi, the club also has more star power in Sergio Busquets. The 35-year-old midfielder, who played with Messi at Barcelona and helped Spain win the 2010 World Cup, officially joined Miami on Sunday.
“So excited to start training and playing with my teammates — see you soon,” Busquets told the crowd during the stadium event.
After Messi’s comments, the team played a video of various celebrities, including Tom Brady and Stephen Curry, welcoming Messi to Miami.
“Today, a new journey and a new chapter starts,” Mas said. “There will always be a before and after Lionel Messi. We are recipients of a legacy of the greatest player in the world that started in [Argentine club] Newell’s Old Boys, went to Barcelona and ended at PSG, but today it sits in the hands of Inter Miami and its fans.
“This is our moment. Our moment to change the football landscape in this country.”
