Lionel Messi’s Arrival in Miami: His First Week in the City

“The Unveil” is the name of the special act with which Inter Miami presented Lionel Messi in the DRV PNK Stadium, located in Fort Lauderdale (about 35 km from Miami), along with his former teammate from FC Barcelona Sergio Busquets.

After being postponed for more than two hours due to bad weather, the event finally started under the rain as thousands of fans waited to see Leo walk out wearing Inter’s shirt with the number 10 on the back of it.

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His wife Antonela, as well as their children, Thiago, Mateo and Ciro, walked to the stage together with David Beckham, the club’s president, his wife Victoria, and two of their children, Cruz and Harper.

“I want to thank all the people of Miami for this love that they have shown me since I arrived. I am very excited to be here. They make me feel at home. For us it was spectacular from the moment we arrived. I really want to start training and competing. I want to win and help the club to continue growing. I hope that during all this time they will continue to accompany us. I have no doubts that we will do our best to be up to the task. I also want to thank all my colleagues for the welcome they gave me. I have no doubts that we are going to have a great time. I chose this place, this project, I have no doubt that very nice things are going to happen,” he said.

After the brief presentation, the event was followed by musical presentations. Among the singers that welcomed Lionel to his new club were Argentinians Thiago PZK and Paulo Londra, as well as Puerto Rican Ozuna and Colombian Camilo.

Inter Miami lost 3-0 on Saturday against St. Louis City SC, without Messi, who didn’t even start training with the team. The debut with the new shirt will be on July 21 in the Leagues Cup, when Inter will face the Mexican team Cruz Azul.

Lionel Messi’s First Days in Miami

Messi and his family arrived in Fort Lauderdale on July 12th ahead of his Inter Miami unveiling. He has since been spending time with his wife, Antonela Roccuzzo, and their children, Thiago, Mateo and Ciro, as they explored their new surroundings.

After arriving on Tuesday at the Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport on a private flight with his wife and three children, Miami began his journey into the “Messi era” or “Messimania,” as the media are already beginning to call the adventure of the Argentine star in the MLS, one that experts describe as a “historic milestone” for the practice of this sport in North America, one that could be compared to the arriving of Pelé to the New York Cosmos.

Did he really KISS Messi❓ pic.twitter.com/da7IDIiLlq

— 433 (@433) July 15, 2023

Messi also went out for a family dinner in Café Prisma Pasta and was stormed by fans who were eager to meet him. An Argentine who ran into him and his family, waited for Leo at the exit, along with several other fans, asked him for a photo and, faced with the surprised face of the team’s captain, gave him an affectionate kiss on the cheek. “I love you forever,” he later wrote on his social media. Despite the attention, Messi remained calm and friendly, taking the time to greet his fans and take photos with them.

If Messi thought Miami would be a nice and quite place where he will go unnoticed for a quite dinner, Messi bro I got news for you. That’s the price of being the GOAT. ️
pic.twitter.com/MvJYaHqbFJ

— FCB Albiceleste (@FCBAlbiceleste) July 13, 2023

The event took place hours before Messi trained for the first time with his brand new team. The star arrived last Thursday at the Inter Miami complex attached to the Drink Pink stadium to put himself, again as in Barcelona and in the national team, under the orders of coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino and work alongside his new teammates.

The dinner also took place the same day that the Hard Rock International chain of restaurants and hotels presented to the world the “Made for You by Leo Messi”, a “Milanesa” chicken sandwich that is the player’s favorite and can already be tasted. at all Hard Rock Café locations and as part of room service at select Hard Rock Hotels & Casinos

Messi was spotted grocery shopping with his family in Miami. He looked relaxed and at home in his new city, and it seemed that he was quickly settling in. Leo was seen at a Publix supermarket accompanied by his wife Antonella and their children, displaying cheerful expressions, walking through the store’s aisles, casually placing items into their shopping cart.

More photos of Leo Messi from a local super market in Miami! pic.twitter.com/nCgtFpXFPp

— Leo Messi Fan Club (@WeAreMessi) July 14, 2023

In Wynwood, the artistic neighborhood of Miami, dozens of people and tourists are taking photos every day in front of a gigantic 20-meter mural with Leo’s face, a piece made by his compatriot Ignacio Bagnasco and which was visited over the weekend by David Beckham. The same happens with a mural dedicated to the player outside the well-known Argentine restaurant Fiorito, in Miami.

David Beckham in front of a new Lionel Messi mural in Wynwood.pic.twitter.com/EldYTKTHv0

— Mundo Albiceleste ⭐ ⭐ (@MundoAlbicelest) July 10, 2023