Credit: Twitter
Lionel Messi and Sergio Busquets have been teammates, friends, and champions for over a decade at Barcelona. They have won countless trophies, broken numerous records, and dazzled the world with their skills and chemistry. Now, they are ready to start a new chapter in their careers, as they have joined Inter Miami in the Major League Soccer (MLS).
The duo were officially unveiled as Inter Miami players on July 17, 2023, in a ceremony called La PresentaSIon at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale. They were greeted by a sold-out crowd of about 20,000 fans, who waited through a delay caused by torrential rain and heavy lightning. They also received messages of welcome from celebrities such as Tom Brady, Stephen Curry, DJ Khaled, and Gloria and Emilio Estefan. Messi and Busquets are expected to make their debut for Inter Miami on July 21, 2023, against Cruz Azul in a Leagues Cup match.
Also read: What are ticket prices for Lionel Messi's Inter Miami and MLS 2023 debut?
Messi and Busquets had different paths to Inter Miami, but both were influenced by their desire to play in a new league, experience a different culture, and reunite with each other. Both the former Catalan stars were seen practicing, in a video posted by the official MLS social media handle. The duo was warming up by running along with the rest of the squad while the Argentine world cup winner was also seen interacting with Josef Martínez in another video.
Watch the video here:
Messi, who is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, left Barcelona in 2021 after 17 years of senior-level football at the club. He joined Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) on a two-year deal, with an option for a third year. However, he decided not to renew his contract with PSG after winning the Ligue 1 title and the FIFA World Cup in 2022. He also led Argentina to their first World Cup title since 1986 in Qatar, scoring the winning goal in the final against Brazil.
The Argentinian had several options for his next destination, including returning to Barcelona, joining Al Hilal in Saudi Arabia for a record-breaking salary, or moving to MLS. He chose the latter option, as he was attracted by the challenge of playing in a competitive and growing league, as well as the opportunity to live in Miami with his family. He also had a special incentive from MLS and Apple, who offered him a share of the revenue generated by new subscribers to MLS Season Pass on Apple TV+.
Busquets, who is one of the best defensive midfielders of his generation, also left Barcelona in 2022 after 15 years at the club. He was not offered a new contract by the Catalan giants, who were struggling financially and undergoing a rebuilding process. He retired from international football after winning the World Cup with Spain in 2010 and earning 143 caps.
The midfielder had several offers from European clubs, but he decided to join Inter Miami, where he could play alongside Messi again and under the ownership of David Beckham, who he admired as a player. He signed a deal that runs until 2025 and will wear the number 5 jersey.
