Lionel Messi was officially unveiled as a new Inter Miami player on Sunday night at the club’s DRV PNK Stadium.

Despite inclement weather, approximately 20,000 fans eagerly awaited the arrival of the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner, who was greeted with thunderous applause as he stepped onto the pitch wearing his new number 10 shirt.

In a brief address delivered in Spanish, Messi expressed his gratitude to the supporters and emphasised that his passion for the game remains as strong as ever.

“I really want to start training, to compete,” Messi said. “I have the same desire that I always had to compete, to want to win, to help the club continue to grow.

“I 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.

“We are going to have a good time and very good things are going to happen.”

The World Cup-winning Argentina forward joins Inter Miami in a deal that will keep him at the Major League Soccer (MLS) club until the end of 2025.

During the presentation event, Messi was introduced as “America’s number 10, the world’s best number 10,” highlighting the magnitude of his talent and the excitement surrounding his arrival.

In addition to Messi, fellow Barcelona teammate Sergio Busquets was also unveiled as a new signing for Inter Miami, further adding to the anticipation surrounding the team.

Source BBC