July 12, (THEWILL) – Lionel Messi, the renowned Argentine football star, arrived in Florida on Tuesday as he nears the completion of his move to Inter Miami, a Major League Soccer (MLS) club.
Messi was seen disembarking from a private jet at an executive airport adjacent to Inter Miami’s stadium in Fort Lauderdale. Fans eagerly began gathering at the stadium in anticipation of his arrival, with the World Cup winner expected to finalise a two-and-a-half-year contract worth $60 million per year before being officially presented to the fans during a stadium event on Sunday.
Messi’s signing with MLS marks a significant milestone, as he becomes the most prominent player to join the league since Brazilian legend Pele signed with the New York Cosmos in 1975. The MLS aims to leverage Messi’s presence to elevate the league’s profile, increase subscriptions to their streaming broadcast deal with Apple TV, and generate skyrocketing ticket prices for games featuring the Argentine star. Furthermore, Messi’s arrival will contribute to the growing excitement surrounding football, or “soccer” as it is preferably called in the United States, ahead of the 2026 World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by the US, Canada, and Mexico.
Alongside Messi, former Barcelona teammate Sergio Busquets is expected to join Inter Miami, while former Argentina and Barcelona coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino has recently taken charge as the team’s coach. Miami co-owner Jorge Mas has hinted at the possibility of signing three to five additional players in the current transfer window, including another former Barcelona player, Jordi Alba, who has been strongly linked to the club.
Although Inter Miami is currently at the bottom of the MLS Eastern Conference, Messi’s arrival brings renewed hope to the team. His debut is set to take place in the Leagues Cup match against Mexican club Cruz Azul on July 21.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
