Lionel Messi Officially Signs With Inter Miami, Picks a Jersey Number
Lionel Messi has officially signed his contract with Inter Miami CF, marking the highly anticipated start of his time playing in Major League Soccer.
The Argentine signed with the Miami franchise on Saturday, three days after arriving in Fort Lauderdale on a private plane from the Bahamas where he was vacationing with his family.
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The seven-time Ballon D’Or winner will wear the number 10 jersey for the team.
“I am honored to welcome Leo Messi and his family to their new home,” said Inter Miami CF Managing Owner, Jorge Mas in statement released by the club. “In 2018, we made a promise to build an ambitious club that would attract the world’s elite players. A club that would transform the global view of fútbol in the United States and ensure that wherever fútbol is discussed, your Inter Miami is part of the conversation. A heartfelt thank you to our fans that never stopped believing. Together we will continue to turn dreams into reality.”
“I’m very excited to start this next step in my career with Inter Miami and in the United States,” said Messi. “This is a fantastic opportunity and together we will continue to build this beautiful project. The idea is to work together to achieve the objectives we set, and I’m very eager to start helping here in my new home.”
Messi will be unveiled to the fans at 8 p.m. on July 16 at the DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The global star’s widely anticipated debut for the club is set for July 21 in a Leagues Cup match against the Mexican club Cruz Azul.
Paris Saint-Germain, Messi’s former team, announced in June it would not exercise the option to extend his contract. Messi reportedly considered a move to play for Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal, which was ready to offer him $200 million a year. Messi also reportedly considered an offer from Barcelona, where the global star played for 20 years.
Messi’s contract with Inter Miami is a two-and-a-half-year deal worth up to $150 million, including salary, signing bonus and equity in the team, Sportico reported last month. In addition to his contract, the 36-year-old player will also have additional revenue-sharing agreements with MLS partners Apple, Adidas and Fanatics. The details of these agreements have not been disclosed.
Messi was the second highest-paid athlete in 2022, according to Sportico. He is also the seventh highest-paid athlete of all time, with $1.22 billion in career earnings. He is expected to exercise his ownership stake in Inter Miami after he is done playing for the team.
Inter Miami is the 10th most valuable team in MLS, worth $585 million, according to Sportico‘s 2022 valuations. The team sits last in the Eastern Conference with 18 points in 21 games. Inter’s best season was last year, when they finished sixth in their conference.
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