Inter Miami managing owner Jorge Mas, has revealed that Lionel Messi is expected to make his debut for the Major League Soccer outfit on July 21.
The 36-year-old said he was moving to the Florida outfit after his Paris Saint-Germain contract expired and was not willing to renew, neither was he open to returning to his former club FC Barcelona.
According to the Miami Herald, Messi will make his debut against Mexican giants Cruz Azul in the League Cups at Inter Miami’s DRV PNK Stadium on July 21.
Mas believes Messi’s arrival can make the MLS one of the best leagues in the world.
— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) June 7, 2023
“I think there will always be a before and after Messi when we talk about the sport in the United States,” he said.
“I have a very, very strong-held belief that we can create in North America and the United States if not the greatest league, one of the top two leagues in the world.
“I cannot overemphasise the magnitude of this announcement.
“Having the world’s greatest player here is something that is significant for our league, and for the football ecosystem in the United States…Lionel Messi is coming to this country to win cups and make a difference.
“I think it’s incumbent upon myself and my partners in the league, the other owners, to seize the moment.”
Inter Miami are reportedly set to increase the capacity of the 18,000 DRV PNK Stadium to prepare for Messi’s arrival. They are also keen to bring former teammates of Messi’s at Barcelona, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba who are free agents after their contracts at Camp Nou expired.
They are bottom of the MLS Eastern Conference with 15 points from 17 games and are without a permanent manager since Phil Neville’s departure on June 1.
