Messi lands in Florida ahead of Inter Miami move
Argentine star Lionel Messi landed in Florida on Tuesday ahead of putting the final touches on his move to US Major League Soccer club Inter Miami.
Argentine television footage showed Messi, with members of his family, walking off a private jet at a small, executive airport adjacent to Inter Miami's stadium in Fort Lauderdale.
The World Cup winner is expected to put pen to paper on a two and a half year deal, reported to be worth $60 million a year, before being presented to fans at a stadium event on Sunday.
"We are happy with the decision we made. Prepared and eager to face the new challenge, the new change," Messi said in an interview with Argentine TV show, Llave a la eternidad, released on Tuesday.
"My mentality and my head are not going to change and I am going to try, wherever I have to be, to give my best for myself and my new club and continue to perform at the highest level," he added.
Messi is the biggest name to ever move to MLS and the greatest player to head to the United States since Brazilian great Pele signed for the New York Cosmos in 1975.
MLS hope that Messi will massively increase the profile of the league and boost subscriptions to their streaming broadcast deal with Apple TV. Ticket prices for games likely to involve Messi have already sky-rocketed.
Fans had begun to gather at the club's DRV PNK stadium early in the morning ahead of his expected arrival.
One of the supporters, Julio Iglesias, 42 said he founded the 'Messias 305' fan group when he learned the Argentine star was coming to Miami. He didn't previously watch MLS games but said he now won't miss any Miami matches.
"For us, Messi coming means everything, wherever he goes there is always incredible happiness," he said, while standing by a banner declaring 'We are waiting for you Messias".
Messi's arrival will also add to the momentum around the sport ahead of the 2026 World Cup, which will be hosted by the United States along with Canada and Mexico.
He is expected to be joined at the club by former Barcelona team-mate Spanish midfielder Sergio Busquets, while ex-Argentina and Barcelona coach Gerardo "Tata" Martino recently took over as coach.
Miami owner Jorge Mas has suggested Messi and Busquets could be part of "three to five" new signings for the South Florida club in the current transfer window.
Another former Barca player, Spanish full-back Jordi Alba, has also been strongly linked with a move to the team, which is co-owned by former England and Manchester United star David Beckham.
Messi is expected to make his debut for his new club in the July 21 Leagues Cup match against Mexican club Cruz Azul.
Miami are currently bottom of MLS's Eastern Conference with just five wins from 21 games and are ranked 28th out of the 29 teams in the league.
But the club are in the semi-finals of the US Open Cup, where they have been drawn against league-leaders FC Cincinnati.
The seven-times Ballon d'Or winner has spent the last two seasons at Paris Saint-Germain, after moving from Barcelona in 2021, where he spent the majority of his career.
During his time with Barca, Messi won ten Spanish league titles, seven Copa del Rey (Spanish Cup) titles and four Champions League winners medals.
He scored twice for Argentina in the World Cup final which they won on penalties in Doha in December, after the game ended 3-3 after extra-time and raised the trophy as captain.
Messi also won an Olympic gold medal with Argentina in 2008 and the Copa America in 2001.
-
Table tennis star Shin YuFormer China football chief given life sentence for bribery[Breaking] NK foreign minister to hold press conference at 11 p.m.NK earthquake not nuclear test: seismology officialsAlcaraz, Sinner survive US Open wobblesNational Assembly approves Kim as Supreme Court chiefAmazon Echo Show needs apps to make up for Alexa's shortcomings雨城联社继续做好收费项目和价格标准公示工作Apple Intelligence is now a little easier to get outside the U.S.Rodrygo powers Madrid past Athletic to maintain Liga lead
下一篇:50 Years Later: The Revolutionary 8008 Microprocessor
- ·雅安市举办首届“文轩教育”校园足球精英夏令营
- ·Olympic spot an extra driver for Smith's Masters tilt
- ·PSG overcome red card to beat Marseille and take step closer to title
- ·4月份PPI同比下跌2.03%
- ·13 Astronomical Clocks Connecting Time And Space
- ·KiwiCo in Australia: Everything you need to know
- ·Berrettini reaches first ATP final since 2022
- ·用好支农再贷款 落实惠农好政策
- ·The Best AMD Ryzen Gaming Laptops (So Far)
- ·调研中小微企业助力实体经济发展
- ·4月份PPI同比下跌2.03%
- ·Dimitrov stuns Alcaraz to book Zverev Miami semi
- ·24 of the Oldest Trees in the World
- ·Moon calls for all
- ·[Breaking] NK foreign minister to hold press conference at 11 p.m.
- ·Tight at the top as Ipswich lead Championship
- ·Wordle today: The answer and hints for August 27
- ·Samsung Galaxy Watch 6: Specs, release date, price, preorder details
- ·Sinner survives scare to advance in Miami
- ·All over for Bayern with Dortmund defeat
- ·This shark lives for centuries. Scientists discover how it resists aging.
- ·Kesha pens emotional Lenny Letter and fights back with an honest new single
- ·温馨五月花 感恩母亲节
- ·TikTok, Oracle confirm broad strokes of a deal to avert U.S. app ban
- ·尝“鲜”盛宴,等你来探!2024年清远西牛麻竹笋尝鲜季即将启幕
- ·National Assembly approves Kim as Supreme Court chief
- ·Trump trials: Jack Smith is reportedly reconsidering his strategy.
- ·Collins stun Rybakina to win Miami Open
- ·3 in 10 divorces happen after 20 years of marriage
- ·North Korea says it test
- ·11 Telescopes Exploring The Magic of Space
- ·TikTok, Oracle confirm broad strokes of a deal to avert U.S. app ban
- ·PSG overcome red card to beat Marseille and take step closer to title
- ·Tesla EVs cost too much, so drivers turn to car
- ·NASA rover snaps photo of its most daunting challenge yet
- ·N. Korean media calls for self