Lionel Messi has completed his transfer to major league soccer club Inter Miami.
His contract is for two and a half seasons, with an option for a one-year extension in the 2026 season.
The club tweeted a video of Messi wearing the number 10 shirt on Saturday and later confirmed his arrival after the deal was eventually ratified by MLS.
Messi will be officially introduced to fans at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida at an event on Sunday (8:30pm ET, 1:30am BST on Monday).
His new club announced that they will initially be available for selection against LIGA MX club Cruz Azul in the opening match of the League Cup on 21 July.
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BIENVENIDO 1️⃣0️⃣ pic.twitter.com/df1TJQQoYv
— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) July 15, 2023
“I am very excited to start this next step in my career at 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 goals we have set ourselves and I am really looking forward to helping here in my new home.”
Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham says he “dreamed” about bringing a player like Messi to Miami.
“When I started building a new team in Miami ten years ago, I said I dreamed of bringing the best players in the world to this amazing city. “Players who shared the ambition I had when I joined LA Galaxy to help grow football in the United States and build a legacy for the next generation in this sport we love so much,” Beckham said in quotes , published on the club’s official website.
“Today this dream has come true. I couldn’t be prouder that a player of Leo’s caliber is joining our club, but I’m also excited to welcome a good friend, a great person and his wonderful family to our Inter Miami community. This is where the next phase of our adventure begins and I can’t wait to see Leo on the pitch.”
MLS Commissioner Don Garber said: “We are delighted that the greatest player in the world has chosen Inter Miami CF and Major League Soccer and his decision is a testament to the dynamism and energy behind our league and our sport in North America.”
“We have no doubt that Lionel will show the world that MLS can be a league of choice for the best players in the business. We look forward to seeing his debut for Inter Miami in our Leagues Cup tournament later this month.”
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The 36-year-old announced in early June that he had decided to switch to MLS following his departure from Paris Saint-Germain, despite interest from his former club Barcelona and Saudi Arabian club Al Hilal.
All parties have spent the last month on the complicated deal, which includes additions to the typical MLS standard player contract. Messi is expected to receive an equity stake in Inter Miami after he is no longer a player, and Miami owner Jorge Mas told reporters he expects the full package to be worth in the region of $50-$60m a year .
Messi, who has yet to start training, has been spending the last few weeks on vacation with his family in the Bahamas, landing at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport on July 11.
Following his appointment as head coach in June, he will join former head coach Tata Martino at the club.
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Messi left Paris Saint-Germain at the end of the season after his two-year contract with the Ligue 1 club expired.
Barcelona, who left Messi for PSG in the summer of 2021, had repeatedly expressed interest in re-signing the Argentine star and world champions.
Messi had also received a proposal from Saudi Arabian club Al Hilal which could have brought the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner around €400m a year.
But The Athletic reported back in October that Inter Miami are increasingly confident in a pursuit that spans several years.
His move to MLS is a major coup as the United States prepares to host the 2026 World Cup alongside Canada and Mexico.
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When will Messi play for Miami – and what number will he wear?
The MLS transfer window opened on July 5 and Miami have an away game on July 15 before playing at home in the Leagues Cup, MLS’ new venture with Liga MX, on July 21-25.
July 21 against Cruz Azul was circled as Messi’s debut. Tickets for this game are sold out.
Should Miami progress from this group stage, they would have more Leagues Cup games.
Their next MLS home game isn’t until August 20th, at home against Charlotte FC. They then play away with the New York Red Bulls before heading to Nashville SC in Ft. Lauderdale on August 30th.
Messi’s number 10 kits for Barcelona and Argentina remain iconic in football history, so much so that it was downright odd to see him wear the number 30 in his two seasons at Paris Saint-Germain (although he wore this number). previously as a youth at Barça).
Now Messi returns to a classic: he will almost certainly wear the number 10 for Miami, which the club have deliberately left vacant all season in hopes of his arrival.
Why did it take so long to finalize Messi’s deal?
Analysis by Paul Tenorio, Pablo Maurer and Tom Bogert
Due to the unified structure of MLS, players sign contracts with the league rather than individual teams.
But unlike normal MLS deals, Messi’s deal wasn’t an easy one. For a legendary player and a potentially league-changing new signing, MLS and Inter Miami have proposed creative compensation to ensure he isn’t lured to Saudi Arabia.
Messi’s contract includes an option to acquire an equity stake in Inter Miami and part of the deal also requires talks with Apple over revenue sharing on new subscriptions to the MLS Season Pass service. A source familiar with the negotiations said the Apple deal will be based on revenue generated from new international subscribers.
Added to this was the structure of the remuneration itself, the tax implications of contract design, and things like marketing and image rights. These negotiations go down to a detailed level, such as which companies own rights to Messi’s name and the No.10 for use in different products.
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How much does Messi earn and who pays it?
Messi’s contract is valued at around $50-60m a year, but that includes the value of his shares in Inter Miami, which will be activated after his time at the club.
On top of that, Messi receives additional income from MLS partners.
He will receive a portion of the new MLS Season Pass subscriptions on Apple TV, as well as compensation deals with Adidas (his long-time sponsor and kit maker for MLS and all 29 clubs) and Fanatics.
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The Adidas and Apple parts of the deal are functionally separate from the base salary he will earn as a player in MLS. The MLS Players’ Association will release salary details for all players later this year, as it did a few months ago. Messi’s number is eagerly awaited.
All parties regard the deal as a blessing; Apple and MLS signed a 10-year, $2.5 billion deal earlier this spring. Apple also announced that a four-part documentary covering Messi’s five World Cup appearances will be streamed on Apple TV+.
Adidas, on the other hand, has worked with MLS since the league was founded in 1996. The two teams renewed their partnership earlier this year, signing a six-year extension worth $830 million through 2030. The German manufacturer supplies jerseys to all 29 MLS teams, designs the league’s official match ball and is the official footwear sponsor the league.
Messi himself has a long-standing relationship with Adidas that began in 2006. In 2017, he signed a lifetime shoe sponsorship deal with the company.
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Inter Miami facts
Inter Miami was founded in 2018 and has been playing MLS games since 2020.
They are owned by brothers Jorge and Jose Mas, as well as former England captain David Beckham, who played MLS football at LA Galaxy between 2007 and 2012 after more than a decade at Manchester United and four years at Real Madrid.
Inter Miami currently play at the 18,000-seat DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, but permission has been granted to begin construction on Miami Freedom Park, a US$1 billion (£860million) stadium complex that will provide Inter Miami with a spectacular home becomes.
The club endured a tumultuous period after formation, breaking into MLS during the COVID-19 pandemic and later being penalized for breaching budget rules.
Their challenging streak continued this season, with the franchise finishing bottom of the Eastern Conference table after Phil Neville was fired.
(Photo: Inter Miami FC)