Lionel Messi set to make Inter Miami debut in Leagues Cup on July 21, owner Jorge Mas hails 'seminal moment'
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Published 21/06/2023 at 11:05 GMT+1
Lionel Messi has agreed a deal to join Inter Miami and his new club have outlined when they expect the 36-year-old to make his debut, with the former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain star looking set to play his first match on July 21. Club managing owner Jorge Mas thinks Messi will be the "greatest ambassador and recruiter in the history of Major League Soccer".
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Lionel Messi is expected to make his Inter Miami debut on July 21, according to club managing owner Jorge Mas.
The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner has joined MLS side Inter Miami after his Paris Saint-Germain contract expired.
Inter Miami are bottom of the Eastern Conference with 15 points from 17 games.
While they look like they need a sprinkling of Messi stardust as soon as possible, he likely won’t feature until July 21 in a League Cups match against Mexican team Cruz Azul.
The game will be played at DRV PNK Stadium, which is Inter Miami’s temporary home as they wait for a permanent stadium in Miami.
Mas said Messi’s arrival is “the one seminal moment” in football in the USA.
“I think there will always be a before and after Messi when we talk about the sport in the United States,” he is quoted as saying by the Miami Herald.
“I have a very, very strong held belief that we can create in North America and the United States if not the greatest league, one of the top two leagues in the world.
“I cannot over emphasise the magnitude of this announcement.
“Having the world’s greatest player here is something that is significant for our league, and for the football ecosystem in the United States…Lionel Messi is coming to this country to win cups and make a difference.
“I think it’s incumbent upon myself and my partners in the league, the other owners, to seize the moment.”
Inter Miami are set to increase capacity at DRV PNK Stadium to prepare for Messi’s arrival.
“Lionel Messi is going to be the greatest ambassador and recruiter in the history of Major League Soccer,” added Mas.
“His mere presence in this league is going to be attracting talent of all ages and all levels. It is, I think, a tremendous and unprecedented opportunity that we have ahead of us. And I think that all of us collectively will take the right steps to make sure to put this league in the hyper growth that it deserves.
“This is an amazing event for the league, for all the owners and every team in Major League Soccer. This will be a rising tide on all fronts.”
Messi has reportedly signed a two-and-a-half year contract with Inter Miami, who are still without a manager after sacking Phil Neville.
Mas says the club will bolster security measures and are “very prepared” for Messi to join.
“Security will obviously be enhanced. Players will be bussed in, going through a tunnel. All of those security protocols are already prepared both for here and away. And it’s not only for our games.
“It’s going to be an everyday occurrence and something we witnessed and I thought handled very well when Messi was here with Argentina before the World Cup.
“As you may recall, Argentina trained in Miami before they flew over to to Doha, where we had an opportunity to see some of the Messi-mania at our doors on an everyday basis during practice. So, we’re very prepared. We’ve been getting ready for this.”
Messi, 36, won the World Cup with Argentina in 2022.
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