David Beckham, the owner of Inter Miami CF, expressed his excitement as Lionel Messi officially signed for his club on July 15. The news was shared by Inter Miami on their Twitter account, announcing the acquisition of the Argentinian maestro on a free transfer.
Messi, widely regarded as the greatest footballer of all time, will be making his highly-anticipated debut in Major League Soccer (MLS) after a successful stint with Ligue 1 side Paris Saint-Germain, where he won the Ligue 1 title twice in two seasons.
The 34-year-old concluded his time in the French league on a positive note, finishing as the top assist provider for the 2022-2023 season in Ligue 1. With 16 assists in 32 league games, he outperformed his former teammate Kylian Mbappe, who had claimed the accolade the previous year.
Beckham shared a post on Instagram which read, “The next chapter of our story starts here. Ten years ago when I started this journey, I dreamt of bringing the greatest players in the world to Miami… Players who shared the ambition I had when I joined LA Galaxy to help grow football in this country and build a legacy in this sport that we love so much.”
“Today that dream came true. I couldn’t be prouder that a player of Leo’s calibre is joining our club but I’m also delighted to welcome a friend, an amazing person and his beautiful family to join our Inter Miami CF community,” the former football player added.
After leading Argentina to World Cup victory in Qatar last year, Messi is now set to join Inter Miami CF, a team currently positioned at the bottom of the Eastern Conference. To mark his arrival, a special event will be held at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where Messi will be introduced to the fans on July 16 at 8 PM ET (on July 17 at 5:30 AM as per India time).
MLS Commissioner Don Garber has expressed his delight at Messi’s decision to join Inter Miami CF and the league, emphasising the impact this move has on raising the profile of MLS worldwide.
Garber believes that Messi’s presence will showcase the league’s appeal to top-tier players, further strengthening the sport in North America.
Messi is expected to make his debut for Inter Miami later in July, with initial reports suggesting a potential debut against Liga MX side Cruz Azul on July 21.
(With ANI inputs)
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Updated: 16 Jul 2023, 07:40 AM IST