WATCH: Lionel Messi’s grand welcome by fans at Inter Miami’s DRV PNK Stadium after thunderstorm delay
Argentine superstar Lionel Messi, who is chasing the American dream after leaving Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and becoming a free agent, was presented to his new fan base of Inter Miami on Sunday evening at DRV PNK Stadium. There were 20,000 enthusiastic supporters in attendance, but they had to wait for a glimpse of the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner for a long time since severe weather prompted Inter Miami to change their schedule.
Inter Miami revealed Argentina superstar Messi and former Barcelona colleague Sergio Busquets to thundering applause in front of an exuberant throng of around 20,000 people. Despite the rain, the stadium was filled with enthusiastic fans eager to catch a glimpse of the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner. The Argentine forwards, dressed casually in a T-shirt and trousers, walked down a runway flanked with spotlights towards the middle. He was subsequently given his No. 10 shirt, a number that has been synonymous with his brilliant career.
I am very happy to have chosen to come to this city: Lionel Messi
Messi spoke to the fans in Spanish and stated his delight about joining Inter Miami. He stated, “I am very happy to have chosen to come to this city with my family, to have chosen this project and I have no doubt that we are going to enjoy it very much.” “We are going to have a good time and great things are going to happen. Thank you very much, thank you all for this day.” “I can’t wait to start training to compete. I feel the same desire I’ve always had to compete, to really want to win and to help it (Miami) continue to grow.”
Following his address, a film montage containing well wishes from celebrities like former NFL quarterback Tom Brady and NBA player Stephen Curry was shown on the stadium’s big screen. They stated, “Like all of you, I cannot wait to see Leo take the field in our colours. Ladies and gentlemen, the next chapter of our story starts here.”
The ceremony took occurred just one day after Inter Miami revealed that Messi had signed a contract extension with the club until 2025. Fans may expect to witness Messi make his debut against Mexico’s Cruz Azul in a Leagues Cup match on Friday.
