Messi arrives in South Florida for new beginning with Inter Miami

Argentinian soccer star Lionel Messi landed in Fort Lauderdale on Tuesday as he begins his new role as a striker for Inter Miami CF. 

The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner and his family were greeted at the Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport by camera men, waiting to get a glimpse of the new player for the U.S. Major League Soccer (MLS) club Inter Miami. 

LIONEL MESSI HAS ARRIVED IN SOUTH FLORIDA TO MAKE HIS INTER MIAMI MOVE OFFICIAL ☀️

(via @SC_ESPN) pic.twitter.com/lgpKN3XeGN

— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) July 11, 2023

After Messi’s two years with Paris Saint-Germain ended he received multiple offers from around the globe, including a world record attempt from Saudi Arabia. However, he shocked the world when he announced that he was joining MLS’s Inter Miami. He is expected to earn between $50 million and $60 million annually with Inter Miami, according to the club.

"We are happy with the decision we made. Prepared and eager to face the new challenge, the new change," Messi said in an interview with the Argentine TV show.

"My mentality and my head are not going to change and I am going to try, wherever I have to be, to give my best for myself and my new club and continue to perform at the highest level," he added.

Inter Miami plans to present Messi, 36, to fans on July 16 during a major unveiling event at the DRV PNK Stadium. However, Messi’s debut match with the team is set for July 21. Tickets for the League Cup match against the Mexican team Cruz Azul are currently selling in secondary markets for more than $10,000. 

One of Messi’s last remaining goals was to win the World Cup, which he achieved in December in Qatar. Before moving to Florida, Messi was in Argentina, where he played a few friendly matches and farewell celebrity games before taking a long-needed vacation in the Bahamas.