Messi ‘anxious’ for Inter Miami debut

Lionel Messi has insisted that he remains hungry for success on the pitch as he begins his spell at Major League Soccer club Inter Miami.

The 36-year-old was officially unveiled to thousands of fans at the DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on Sunday night.

“I’m very moved to be here in Miami,” Messi told the crowd. “I want to thank you for the kindness and love that you have given me. This has happened so fast.”

Messi arrived in the United States last week after agreeing to an Inter Miami contract that runs until December 2025 with the option of another season. He will reportedly earn an annual salary of around 55 million U.S. dollars before tax.

The Argentina captain is expected to make his debut for Inter Miami in a Leagues Cup match against Mexico’s Cruz Azul on Friday.

“I’m anxious to train and compete. Our objective is to be here and win. I’m sure we’re going to have a wonderful experience,” he said.

In June, Messi announced he was leaving Paris Saint-Germain to join the Florida outfit, which is partly owned by former England captain David Beckham.

The forward has since said that he is looking forward to enjoying the last stage of his career, having achieved his ultimate goal of winning the FIFA World Cup for Argentina in Qatar last December. 

Meanwhile, Victor Montagliani, president of the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (Concacaf), believes Messi’s move is a moment to change the perception of football in the region.

“Everyone has always looked at our region as the future of football,” he told BBC Sport. “But our region is also the present in terms of our leagues, our clubs, our competition and what we bring to the table from a global standpoint.

“This is just the beginning. There is no ceiling for the growth of the game in our region. Having Lionel Messi in MLS is a tremendous boost.

“Not only is he the best player in the world on the pitch but off it he has been a tremendous ambassador to the game. It is not just the bigger picture in terms of the league — and it is a tremendous boost to the league. At the micro level, you can see tickets have gone through the roof for visiting teams.”

While Messi will generate huge interest in every match he plays, this month’s Gold Cup is also the start of a sequence of major tournaments held in North America, including the Copa America in 2024 and the first 32-team Club World Cup in 2025, which leads to the 2026 World Cup held in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Premier League teams Chelsea and Manchester City, plus Real Madrid, have booked their places in the expanded Club World Cup, which will be played in June 2025 and is almost certain to overlap that year’s edition of the Gold Cup.

Twelve spots have been reserved for European teams, which is bound to bring more debate around the pressure being placed on elite players.

Montagliani claims almost all clubs and countries want more football, saying only the elite teams - who also generate most of the TV income — feel there is too much strain being placed on them.

He feels a solution to the calendar issue can only be achieved through discussions with all stakeholders.

“From a global standpoint, the expanded Club World Cup is a positive thing,” he said. “If you have a World Cup on the national team front, why you wouldn’t have one on the club front? The fans are going to love it.

“On the calendar issue specifically, the reality is it is not just the international matches. That is only five windows. There are other issues with the calendar, whether it is at club level when you are touring all over the place, domestic cups and replays of cups. Those are all things that have to be discussed as we move forward.

“Where are the touch points where you could alleviate some of the pressure on the players? It’s not one stakeholder who is at fault for the congestion, keeping in mind that for the vast majority if the world, congestion is not an issue.”