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.
-
Travel Back in Time and Uncover Old新增40家!广东省级林业龙头企业已达375家Biden is expected to announce an AI executive order on MondayTaylor Swift breaks Twitter silence to discuss Olympic girl power雨城区疾控中心提示:科学补碘 防治碘缺乏病US nuclear regulator greenlights its first small modular reactorApple just announced the new 14Joe Biden signed a Joe Biden meme because he's Joe freakin' BidenTravel Back in Time and Uncover OldChromebooks may soon have Google Assistant standard
- ·'Black Myth: Wukong' PS5 review in progress: A potential masterpiece
- ·Gymnast McKayla Maroney is vaulting into the music world
- ·Chromebooks may soon have Google Assistant standard
- ·落实责任 典型引路 统筹兼顾
- ·采购商+48,英德红茶在泉城济南蹭蹭涨粉
- ·Vatican waiting for invitation from N. Korean leader: official
- ·Mother and daughter surprised each other with the same delightful Valentine's Day gift
- ·Chromebooks may soon have Google Assistant standard
- ·21 Caves That Offer Otherworldly Experiences
- ·What it's like to live as a tea drinker in a coffee drinker's world
- ·下秧在即,备耕繁忙!广东各地按下春耕“快进键”
- ·Posting about your workout on Facebook means you're a narcissist, study says
- ·Pope says England are not 'one
- ·'Overwatch' League reportedly signing its first female player
- ·下秧在即,备耕繁忙!广东各地按下春耕“快进键”
- ·Vatican waiting for invitation from N. Korean leader: official
- ·Abrar Ahmed returns as Pakistan names squad for second Test against Bangladesh
- ·[Photo News] 572nd anniversary of Hangeul
- ·去年 我市城镇新增就业2.23万人
- ·Are tracksuits cool now or is Armie Hammer trolling us?
- ·What to expect from Apple's September event: iPhone 16, Apple Watch 10, and more
- ·议案直击:扶持壮大龙头企业 推进农业产业化
- ·We asked linguists if Donald Trump speaks like that on purpose
- ·Moon says ‘new order’ being formed on Korean Peninsula
- ·Table tennis star Shin Yu
- ·We asked linguists if Donald Trump speaks like that on purpose
- ·优化广东优质农产品产销资源对接!“农友圈”又有新动作
- ·An interview with '2 Dope Queens' Phoebe Robinson on #MeToo in comedy
- ·新增40家!广东省级林业龙头企业已达375家
- ·Best Echo Show deal: Get the Amazon Echo Show 8 and smart color bulb for $69.99
- ·Apple Watch 10 rumors: Everything we know so far
- ·Apple will make iPhone repair tools widely available
- ·Trump spokesperson reorganizes U.S. timeline, says Obama led invasion of Afghanistan
- ·[Roundtable] Kim Jong
- ·Doosan scraps controversial Robotics
- ·World's biggest green hydrogen project announced for Kazakhstan