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Lionel Messi and his new destination: everything you need to know about Inter Miami

2023-06-07T21:12:52.730Z

Highlights: Lionel Messi will play in Major League Soccer in the United States. Messi will wear the jersey of David Beckham's franchise, Inter Miami. Argentina star could play the Concachampions and even the Copa Libertadores. Jorge and José Mas are the billionaire brothers who own the Inter Miami franchise and who led the negotiations in the first person. The only models that appear in the official Adidas store, in Argentina, are sold out from 2021, with pink, black and white options.


Who are its owners, how the team is formed, how it is and how much its shirt is worth, and when the crack rosarino can debut.


Lionel Messi has already made a decision: his career as a professional soccer player will continue in Major League Soccer in the United States and he will wear the jersey of David Beckham's franchise, Inter Miami. The Rosario official communicated his decision through interviews he offered to the Catalan sports newspapers Mundo Deportivo and Sport.

The European courts will no longer see the brushstrokes of Leo's left-footed after his successful career in Barcelona and the stumble in PSG, now Messi will play in North America and the promise is on the table: he could play the Concachampions and even the Copa Libertadores ... How is Inter Miami, Messi's new destination.

To find some of the keys to Messi's decision, and among the much that was talked about the MLS team, it can be assured that it is a growing region and with the horizon marked by two climactic dates of great interest for the Pulga and the Argentine National Team: the super Copa America 2024 (which will include Concacaf teams) and the 2026 World Cup of 48 combined, which will be played in Mexico, the United States and Canada, with a preponderance of dates in the country of the stars and stripes.

Which team Messi comes to: the Inter Miami squad

Beyond the glamour of the city and the economic power of Inter Miami whose most visible face is David Beckham, the team marches last in that league and comes from throwing out its coach to replace a 43-year-old Argentine who is going for his first experience in that position, Javier Morales, remembered former footballer of Arsenal and Lanús, among other teams.

Javier Morales, in charge of Inter Miami of the MLS.

Beckham, co-owner of the franchise, was responsible for announcing last Thursday the dismissal of his friend and former teammate at Manchester United, Phil Neville, who had Inter at the bottom of the Eastern Conference table. He also said that his assistant, Morales, would be his relief on an interim basis.

If the former Arse dreamed of extending his chance in front of the team, he did not have the best of starts: on Saturday he lost at home 2-1 to DC United led by Wayne Rooney. Tonight he will take his second step when he plays against Birmingham Legion FC for the quarterfinals of the US Open Cup, the local cup that brings together professional and amateur clubs from Yankee soil.

Morales made a playing career with Real Salt Lake and FC Dallas of the North American league until his retirement in 2017, when he began a career as a training coach and then assistant to Neville.

The former Racing and San Lorenzo, Sebastián Saja, goalkeeper coach of Inter Miami. Photo: Instagram.

It is that the club has its albiceleste heart. Along with Morales, the goalkeeper coach is Sebastián Saja, who played four games with the Argentine National Team and was an idol of Racing and San Lorenzo.

Former Argentine midfielder Federico Higuain, whose brother Gonzalo retired last year from football at Inter, is the reserve team's coach in Miami, assisted by compatriot Cristian Raul Ledesma.

Spanish is also widely used in the wardrobe. South American players include Argentine defender Franco Negri and forward Nicolas Stefanelli, while Miami-born youngster Benjamin Cremaschi was called up for Argentina's U20 training camp in December.

The Argentine Nicolas Stefanelli, in the center and with the shirt 22. Photo: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports.

Who owns Inter Miami

David Beckham has been behind Messi for some time.

Messi will play in MLS. The seven-time Ballon d'Or kicked the board and the United States left. And, as the chance grew, two names that until now were practically unknown began to sound: Jorge and José Mas.

These are the billionaire brothers who own the Inter Miami franchise and who led the negotiations in the first person. That closeness, plus all the impediments of Barcelona to realize it and the exotic of the other offer, that of Al Hilal that offered a mountain of dollars, made the Mas stay with the maximum star of the last World Cup.

How are shares distributed? The brothers have 90 percent and the other ten belongs to the former Manchester United and England player, David Beckham, who is the visible face of the American club.

Brothers Gonzalo and Federico Higuain leave for Inter Miami.

What is the Inter Miami jersey like and how much it costs

The shirt that Messi will wear will be pink with black details. The colors are inspired by Las Garzas that abound in the area and that also give their nickname to the Florida set. In the official Adidas store in Argentina, the only models that appear, from 2021, are sold out. The holder, in pink, is $ 7,999 while the alternate, in white, costs $ 6,799. However, both prices are not updated compared to the shirts of other European football teams marketed by the German brand.

When entering the MLS Store, more options and updated models appear, although the values are considerably higher. The current pink sweater and black details (released last year) costs $ 80 (excluding taxes), while the replica with a name and number of your choice can be obtained at $ 120. In turn, the black kit of 2021 that is also on sale on the website has similar prices.

When Messi might debut

Despite its bad present, the Florida institution dreams of making a great semester with the Rosario and qualify for the playoffs. There is still time: there are still 18 dates until the end of the regular season.

Messi will sign a contract that will take effect on July 1. But it is difficult for him to play that day, when Inter Miami clashes with Austin FC, for the MLS. The schedule for Inter Miami continues with the match against DC United, on July 8 at 20:30; St. Louis City, on the 15th at 21:30 p.m.; and Charlotte FC, on August 20, at 20:30. There, Messi would play his first minutes in his new team.

What is Inter Miami's stadium like?

The DRV PNK Stadium, Messi's new home, with capacity for 18,000 spectators. (AFP)

Inter Miami plays at DRV PNK Stadium, an 18,000-seat sports venue that opened on August 22, 2020 and is located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. It was built on the old Lockhart Stadium, a municipal stadium of that city that had been designed in 1959 and that was intended for school sports and where there were events of high importance, such as the final of the Recopa Sudamericana 2004 that Boca lost on penalties against Cienciano of Peru.

However, as the stadium is located in Fort Lauderdale, approximately 45 kilometers from Miami, the intention of Beckham and his partners was to be able to build a sports venue in the city of Miami itself. And that dream, after a long time of paperwork, was approved last year, so the process of building a new headquarters, which will be called Miami Freedom Park, has already begun.

Miami Freedom Park will exceed the capacity of Fort Lauderdale, going from 18,000 spectators to 25,000, and is scheduled to open in 2025. From Inter itself they already showed images of how the sports venue will be when it is finished.


This would be the new stadium of Inter Miami, with capacity for 25,000 spectators.

"

Miami Freedom Park will become a recreational destination that all citizens of Miami will be able to enjoy, providing 58 acres of public parks and green spaces, a technology center, restaurants and shops, soccer fields for the community, a soccer stadium for Inter Miami Miami and many more services," reads the statement provided by the club on its website.

"The new stadium received strong support from residents of the City of Miami, receiving over 60% approval from voters in last November's referendum. With this vote, residents have indicated that they want the city to negotiate and execute a lease for the proposed land for this specific project."

See also

Lionel Messi to Inter Miami, LIVE: confirmed his arrival in MLS and said he does not return to Barcelona

Messi to Inter Miami: the best phrases of Leo in the interview that confirms the pass

Messi, one step away from Inter Miami: fever for annual subscriptions and inflation "a la argentina" by the Flea

Source: clarin

All news articles on 2023-06-07

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