Inter Miami CF has officially announced the signing of Argentine soccer superstar Lionel Messi. The highly-anticipated arrival of Messi to Major League Soccer (MLS) will be unveiled at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Sunday. After leaving French champions Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) following two seasons, Messi has signed a contract with Inter Miami through the end of the 2025 MLS season.
A Landmark Signing for Inter Miami CF
Inter Miami managing owner, Jorge Mas, expressed his excitement about the signing and revealed that it took three years of negotiations to bring the 36-year-old Messi to the club. According to Mas, Messi will earn an estimated annual salary between £50 million and $60 million. Messi himself expressed his enthusiasm about this new chapter in his career, stating, “I’m very excited to start this next step in my career with Inter Miami and in the United States. 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.”
First Appearance and Future Prospects
Inter Miami has confirmed that Messi will be available for selection in a Leagues Cup match against Mexican side Cruz Azul on July 21. This announcement comes after Messi’s interview with Spanish outlets on June 17, where he expressed his intention to move to the MLS club, rejecting a possible return to Barcelona as well as a significant financial offer from Saudi Arabia. Sources have indicated that the terms of Messi’s deal include an option for part-ownership of Inter Miami. However, unlike David Beckham’s subsidized purchase of an MLS team in 2007, Messi’s ownership will not be subsidized by the league. ESPN also reported that negotiations involved a share of revenue from new subscribers to Apple TV’s MLS Season Pass streaming service.
Messi will occupy one of the three designated player spots on Miami’s roster, which became available after the club terminated the contract of Mexican midfielder Rodolfo Pizarro on Friday. This signing is a significant milestone for Inter Miami CF and its co-owner, David Beckham, who dreams of bringing the greatest players to the city and growing the sport in the United States. Beckham expressed his pride in having a player of Messi’s caliber join the club and welcomed Messi, his family, and former Barcelona teammates Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba to the Inter Miami community. Messi will also be reunited with former Barcelona and Argentina coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino, who recently took over as manager.
A Legendary Career and New Challenges
Lionel Messi has enjoyed an illustrious career and is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. He has won numerous honors and awards, including a record seven Ballon d’Or titles. Throughout his career, Messi has lifted 43 titles, 35 of which were won with Barcelona. These include 10 LaLiga titles, eight Spanish Supercopas, seven Copa del Reys, and four Champions Leagues. With 672 goals, Messi left Barcelona as the club’s all-time leading scorer in the summer of 2021. He then spent the past two seasons at PSG, winning consecutive Ligue 1 titles.
One of Messi’s most memorable achievements came just six months ago when he led Argentina to victory in the World Cup. He scored twice in the final against France, securing Argentina’s first World Cup title since 1986, when Diego Maradona inspired the team to victory. As Messi embarks on this new chapter with Inter Miami CF, he faces the challenge of helping the club climb out of the bottom of the Eastern Conference, where they have gone 10 MLS games without a win.
Overall, the signing of Lionel Messi by Inter Miami CF marks a historic moment for MLS and the growth of soccer in North America. The arrival of such a high-profile player demonstrates the momentum and energy behind the league. Messi’s debut in the Leagues Cup tournament later this month is highly anticipated, and fans eagerly await the impact he will make in the United States.
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