Major League Soccer (MLS) side Inter Miami on Saturday officially announced the signing of World Cup winner Lionel Messi on a free transfer after his contract at Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) came to an end.
The 2022 World Cup Winner chose to travel stateside over a return to former club FC Barcelona, who were very eager to bring him back for a second stint.
Messi will now begin his new journey in the US. He has put pen to paper on a deal that runs until 2025 after his exit from French side PSG.
Taking to Twitter, the MLS outfit announced his arrival, sharing a video with the caption, "Sí, Muchachos" or "Yeah Guys". In the video, the Argentine can be seen in the club colours with the iconic number 10 jersey on his back.
Following the official confirmation of the former Barcelona icon's impending Inter Miami move, the MLS released an official statement hailing the transfer.
A statement from MLS commissioner Don Garber, who was quoted by Goal.com read, "We are overjoyed that the greatest player in the world chose Inter Miami CF and Major League Soccer, and his decision is a testament to the momentum and energy behind our league and our sport in North America."
"I'm very excited to start this next step in my career with Inter Miami and in the United States. This is a fantastic opportunity and together we will continue to build this beautiful project. The idea is to work together to achieve the objectives we set, and I'm very eager to start helping here in my new home," added the statement.
During his two-year stay with PSG after leaving Barcelona, Messi, who is widely considered the greatest player of all time, won the Ligue 1 title twice
During his time with Paris Saint Germain, The Argentinian maestro Lionel Messi played for two seasons and managed to win the Ligue 1 title twice. In his final season, Messi was crowned the top assist provider in the Ligue 1 with 16 assists in 32 games this season.
Having had a playing career that began in clubs like Grandoli and Newell's Old Boys in the early 1990s to early 2000s, Messi made his Barcelona debut on November 16, 2003 after spending time in the clubs C and B teams previously.
Messi spent almost his entire playing career with FC Barcelona, rising to be acknowledged as one of the best ever players of the game before financial problems prevented the club from registering the player making it impossible for him to continue in the La Liga.
For FC Barcelona, Messi played for close to two decades, till 2021, during which time he made 520 appearances and scored 474 goals for them. He won the Li Liga, Spain's domestic league 10 times, the Copa Del Rey trophy seven times, and the UEFA Champions League four times.
With seven gongs to his name, Lionel Messi is also the record winner of the Ballon d'Or award, presented to the best player in a calender football season.
