{"id":84399,"date":"2023-07-17T10:38:58","date_gmt":"2023-07-17T10:38:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2023\/07\/17\/inter-miami-unveil-lionel-messi-to-sold-out-crowd\/"},"modified":"2023-07-17T10:38:58","modified_gmt":"2023-07-17T10:38:58","slug":"inter-miami-unveil-lionel-messi-to-sold-out-crowd","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2023\/07\/17\/inter-miami-unveil-lionel-messi-to-sold-out-crowd\/","title":{"rendered":"Inter Miami unveil Lionel Messi to sold-out crowd"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Lionel Messi is Barcelona’s record scorer with 672 goals and won 10 La Liga titles, four Champions Leagues and seven Spanish Cups
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New signing Lionel Messi has been officially presented to cheering crowds at Inter Miami\u2019s DRV PNK Stadium.<\/p>\n

A sold-out crowd of about 20,000 waited through downpours and lightning to see the seven-time Ballon d\u2019Or winner given a number 10 shirt.<\/p>\n

In a brief address in Spanish, Messi, 36, thanked supporters and said he had the \u201csame desire\u201d he always has.<\/p>\n

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The World Cup-winning Argentina forward joins the Major League Soccer (MLS) club on a deal\u00a0until the end of 2025.<\/p>\n

He will be reunited with defensive midfielder Sergio Busquets \u2013 with whom he played at Barcelona \u2013 who has also signed for Miami until 2025.<\/p>\n

Busquets, too, was formally unveiled during Sunday night\u2019s event.<\/p>\n

Messi entered the pitch via a huge catwalk and was introduced as \u201cAmerica\u2019s number 10, the world\u2019s best number 10\u201d.<\/p>\n

Seven-time Super Bowl winner Tom Brady and four-time NBA champion Stephen Curry also welcomed him to the United States in video messages.<\/p>\n

\u201cI really want to start training, to compete,\u201d Messi said. \u201cI have the same desire that I always had to compete, to want to win, to help the club continue to grow.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am very happy to have chosen to come to play in this city with my family, to choose this project and I have no doubt that we are going to enjoy it a lot.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are going to have a good time and very good things are going to happen.\u201d<\/p>\n

The DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale is Inter Miami\u2019s temporary stadium and has a capacity of 18,000, making it the joint-smallest in MLS along with San Jose Earthquakes\u2019 PayPal Park in California.<\/p>\n

A temporary grandstand has been erected to allow more fans into the ground.<\/p>\n

Messi left French champions Paris St-Germain at the end of the 2022-23 season after scoring 32 goals in 75 games across a two-year spell.<\/p>\n

He turned down lucrative offers from other countries to play in the US \u2013 and this is the first time he will play for a non-European club.<\/p>\n

Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham hailed Messi\u2019s signing as a \u201cdream come true\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cLeo, we are so proud that you have chosen our club for the next stage in your career,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Inter Miami\u2019s primary owner, American billionaire Jorge Mas, called Messi \u201cthe best player ever to don boots\u201d.<\/p>\n

Messi is expected to be available to play for Miami against LIGA MX side Cruz Azul on 21 July in their opening match of Leagues Cup.<\/p>\n

He reunites with his former Barca and Argentina boss Gerardo Martino after the 60-year-old was appointed manager in June following the sacking of Phil Neville.<\/p>\n

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Fans had to watch Lionel Messi\u2019s unveiling in heavy rain in Miami<\/em><\/p>\n

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Fireworks were let off around the stadium when Messi was given the Inter Miami number 10 shirt<\/em><\/p>\n

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Inter Miami fans who could not get a ticket to the event, which was dubbed \u2018The Unveil\u2019, waited for Messi after the show to try to catch a glimpse of the Argentina legend<\/em><\/p>\n

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