Argentina's Lionel Messi (3rd L) trains with Inter Miami CF teammates at the Florida Blue Training Center next to DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on July 18, 2023. (Photo by Eva Marie UZCATEGUI / AFP)
Lionel Messi got down to business with his new Inter Miami team-mates on Tuesday, taking part in his first full training session with the Major League Soccer club.
The Argentine World Cup winner took to the club’s training field at 9:00am local time with temperatures already above 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit).
Along with his former Barcelona team-mate, Spanish midfielder Sergio Busquets, who signed for Miami on Sunday, Messi was given a ‘tunnel’ welcome from his new team.
The players lined up opposite each other and Messi and Busquets ran through the ‘tunnel’ to applause and slaps on the back from the other players.
The pair will soon be joined by a third former Barcelona veteran with Spanish full-back Jordi Alba joining the club.
“Jordi Alba will sign today,” club co-owner Jorge Mas told reporters.
Chatting with Venezuelan international Josef Martinez, likely to be his strike partner for Miami, Messi was watched by over 200 media representatives who had attended the session as he did some basic drills.
Miami’s training sessions had barely attracted double figure attendance from the media before Messi’s arrival.
Messi was unveiled to the club’s supporters at the stadium on Sunday, at a celebratory event alongside Miami co-owner David Beckham. The Argentine’s first game is scheduled for Friday.
Miami, who are ranked last in the 29-team MLS, face Mexican club Cruz Azul in the opening game of the new Leagues Cup, a competition featuring all top-flight teams from MLS and Mexico’s Liga MX.
It is not clear yet if Messi will start that game or make an appearance from the substitute’s bench. His coach, fellow Argentine Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino has asked for patience while the 36-year-old builds up his fitness.
Miami co-owner David Beckham said any decision on Messi’s involvement would come down to Martino and Messi himself, but also hinted at only partial involvement for the star.
“Leo will play some part of the game but that will be down to the coach (and) it’ll be down to Leo to decide if he’s ready because we know that he’s been away for a few weeks with his family but he looks sharp, he looks great but you know he’s gonna need time to adapt as well,” said Beckham.
Messi played his last competitive game for Paris Saint-Germain in the French league on June 4 and then turned out for Argentina against Australia in a friendly in Beijing on June 15, scoring after just 79 seconds in a 2-0 win.
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