Tag Archives: Sergio Busquets

Raúl Sanllehí to Join Inter Miami CF as Co-President

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Raúl Sanllehí is heading to Miami.

The 57-year-old Spanish football administrator and former Head of Football at Arsenal and Director of Football at FC Barcelona will join Inter Miami CF as co-president alongside Xavier Asensi, overseeing aspects of the sporting side and executing the ownership’s strategy of player development from the academy to the first team.

Raúl SanllehíSanllehí will officially serve as president of football operations upon receipt of his U.S. work authorization.

“I have a blend of experience between leagues with LaLiga and the Premier League, and kinds of elite clubs that play Champions League every year, like Barcelona or Arsenal, so I have a vast vision about football,” Sanllehí told ESPN. “I have a very clear model in which I believe that clubs should be based and grow from there. The ownership wants to turn this club into a global football powerhouse, and that’s something that I embrace completely.”

Sanllehí previously worked as the director of football at Barcelona from 2008-2019, playing an integral role in the team during the development of current Miami players Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets, Luis Suárez and Jordi Alba. Sanllehí will also reunite with head coach Gerardo Martino, after being part of the team that hired the Argentine at Barcelona in 2013.

Sanllehí also served as head of football at Arsenal from 2018-2020, and most recently as CEO of Spanish club Real Zaragoza from 2022-2024.

Now, Sanllehí wants to develop Inter Miami’s academy to produce the kind of side he saw while at Barcelona.

“I remember Johan Cruyff in a press conference when he was explaining the reasons why he believed so much in the academy,” Sanllehí recalled. “One reporter asked him, ‘so what you’re saying is that the academy needs to play like the first team?’ And he said, ‘no, actually I’m saying the opposite. I’m saying that the first team needs to play like the academy.’

“And you don’t achieve that in two or three years. That’s over time, because you need to plant the seeds and then protect them so they grow.

“And that was the secret of success of probably the best team in the history of Barcelona with all the players that you know, Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba, Messi, all of them were there. And they were all coming from the academy.

“If you look in history, again, all the main clubs that have been legendary in Europe, they were all based on the academy players. So I really believe that that’s the path.”

The Herons currently boast multiple academy players in the senior team, with Leo Alfonso most recently making headlines for scoring the team’s winning goal in extra time against the Philadelphia Union on June 15.

Benjamin Cremaschi and David Ruiz also played an integral role in the victory, while regularly featuring in Inter Miami’s starting XI under Martino.

On the other end, Asensi will continue to manage the team’s commercial aspect as president of business operations. He joined Inter Miami in 2021 from Barcelona, helping the club triple revenues. His promotion allows for the two to work in unison on different ends of the team’s growth.

Luis Suárez Becomes Latest High-Profile Talent to Join MLS Outfit Inter Miami

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It’s official… Luis Suárez is reuniting with Lionel Messi in South Florida.

The 36-year-old Uruguayan striker has completed his move to Inter Miami, sealing a reunion with former Barcelona teammate Messi, the MLS club confirmed Friday.

Luis SuarezSuárez moves to Inter Miami as a free agent after departing Brazilian club Grêmio, where he played 53 matches in all competitions last season and scored 26 goals. 

His 17 league goals helped Grêmio finish second in the Brazilian Serie A and saw him win the Golden Ball as the best player in the division.

Suárez signed a one-year contract with Inter Miami, taking him through the end of the 2024 season.

“We promised our fans we would pursue the world’s best players to build a squad that can compete at the highest echelons in the Americas,” managing owner Jorge Mas said in the statement put out by the club.

“Coming off an award-winning season in Brazil, Luis will be a key addition to our roster. We will continue to be ambitious and always strive to pursue the freedom to dream.”

The move to Inter Miami, which sees Suárez cut short the two-year deal he signed with Grêmio, reunites him with former Barcelona teammates Messi, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets. The quartet spent six seasons together at Camp Nou between 2014 and 2020, winning four LaLiga titles and one Champions League.

“I’m very happy and excited to take on this new challenge with Inter Miami,” Suárez said in the statement. “I can’t wait to get started, and I’m ready to work to make the dream of winning more titles with this great Club a reality. I’m optimistic about what we can achieve together with our shared ambition.

“I will give my all to bring joy to these great fans I’ve heard so much about while I wear Inter Miami colors, and look forward to reuniting with great friends and players. I’m also eager to meet my new teammates and coaches.”

Lionel Messi & Inter Miami CF to Play El Salvador in Friendly This January

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Lionel Messi is heading to Central American…

The 36-year-old Argentine soccer star and his Inter Miami CF teammates will begin their preparations for the 2024 season with a friendly against the El Salvador national team in San Salvador on January 19, the club announced Thursday.

Lionel Messi The game at the Estadio Cuscatlán is the first confirmed match for Inter Miami ahead of the Major League Soccer (MLS) season, which is expected to begin in late February.

“We’re excited to start announcing our preseason plans and preparations ahead of a thrilling 2024 campaign,” Inter Miami chief soccer officer and sporting director Chris Henderson said.

“We look forward to facing the El Salvador national team in what will be a good first test for our squad against the best players from the country.”

The announcement follows Inter Miami’s denial last week that it had agreed to take part in the Riyadh Season Cup in Saudi Arabia in February. Event organizers had announced that Messi and Miami would face off against Cristiano Ronaldo‘s Saudi Pro League team Al Nassr as part of the event.

Inter Miami, though, said the announcement was “inaccurate” but that it looked forward to “showcasing our players on Inter Miami CF’s first international tour which will be announced in the coming weeks.”

Inter Miami, which failed to make the MLS playoffs, finished the 2023 season with a loss to Charlotte FC on October 21. The club then took on New York City FC in a friendly on November 10 to celebrate Messi’s record-extending eighth Ballon d’or award.

Despite failing to make the postseason, Messi made a huge impression when joining the club along with fellow former Barcelona stars Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba in July. Messi scored 10 goals to lead Miami to its first-ever title with the Leagues Cup as fans across the U.S. clamored to see the Argentine World Cup winner in action.

El Salvador is ranked 78th in the latest FIFA rankings and most recently drew home and away against Curaçao earlier this month.

Also on Thursday, Inter Miami announced that it has sold out season tickets for 2024, just over two weeks after they went on sale.

Grêmio’s Luis Suarez Agrees to Deal with Inter Miami CF

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Luis Suarez is headed to South Florida…

Inter Miami CF has agreed to a deal with the 36-year-old Uruguayan professional footballer and Grêmio star, according to ESPN.

Luis SuarezAs confirmed last month by his current coach at Grêmio, Renato Gaúcho, Suárez will depart the Porto Alegre-based club at the end of the Brazilian Serie A season in December despite being only halfway through the two-year contract he signed in December 2022.

The one-year deal with an option to renew for a second year has been agreed upon with Inter Miami and all that remains is to sign the contract, said ESPN.

Suárez — Uruguay’s all-time top scorer with 68 goals in 137 appearances for La Celeste — is Grêmio’s leading scorer this season, with 10 goals and 10 assists in 31 league games.

The two-time Serie A champions, who were relegated in 2021 only to bounce back one year later, sit third in the table, three points behind leaders Palmeiras with seven games remaining.

Rumors about a potential Suárez move to South Florida began circulating over the summer when Suárez admitted the high demands of the Brazilian league were taking a toll on his body, especially his knees.

He had meniscus surgery on his left knee in 2014 while with Liverpool and a similar surgery on his right knee in 2020 as a Barcelona player.

Along with Lionel Messi, Inter Miami signed fellow former Barcelona stars Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba in the middle of its season.

Suárez spent six seasons playing alongside that trio at Camp Nou from 2014 to 2020, winning four Spanish La Liga titles and the 2015 UEFA Champions League.

Last month, Inter Miami coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino confirmed his club’s continued interest in signing the veteran striker.

“When the moment arrives to make Suárez’s situation with respect to Inter Miami official, we’ll be prepared to go in the corresponding direction,” he said.

Lionel Messi: The MLS’ Highest-Paid Player

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Lionel Messi collects Major League Soccer’s biggest paycheck…

The 36-year-old Argentine soccer star and Inter Miami forward is MLS‘ highest-paid player, with a league-record annual guaranteed compensation of $20.4 million, according to the MLS Players Association.

Lionel MessiThat figure takes into account only Messi’s salary.

Earlier this year, Miami co-owner Jorge Mas revealed to Spanish outlet El País that Messi’s total compensation, which includes a cut from the league’s Apple TV deal, is in the $50 million to $60 million range. 

Messi’s midseason arrival, along with that of teammates Sergio Busquets ($1.775 million) and Jordi Alba ($1.25 million), vaulted the Herons to the top of the MLS team salary rankings, with total guaranteed compensation of $39.419 million. That is more than double the $18.88 million the team was spending this time last year.

Messi’s guaranteed salary is the highest in the history of MLS, beating out Toronto FC‘s Lorenzo Insigne, who is second on Wednesday’s list at $15.4 million.

The Chicago Fire‘s Xherdan Shaqiri ($8.15 million), the LA Galaxy‘s Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez ($7.44 million) and Toronto’s Federico Bernardeschi ($6.3 million) round out the top five.

All data is as of September 15, 2023. The salary data was annualized for players like Messi who joined the league during the summer transfer window.

The arrival of Messi helped push the average guaranteed base compensation for the entire MLS player pool to $543,207, up 5.5% from the September 2022 mark of $514,729. The salaries of players at the bottom of the wage scale continue to improve, as the league’s median guaranteed base compensation was $282,125, up 13.4% from the September 2022 mark of $248,688.

MLS and the MLSPA are in the third year of the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) that was agreed upon in February 2021. The current CBA runs through the end of the 2027 season.

In terms of team payroll based on guaranteed base compensation, Toronto FC ranked second behind Miami at $32.293 million, followed by the LA Galaxy ($25.039 million), reigning MLS Cup champions LAFC ($20.841 million) and the Chicago Fire ($20.416 million)

Orlando City had the lowest payroll at $9.643 million — in part because of the September transfer of forward Ercan Kara to Turkish side Samsunspor — followed by CF Montreal ($10.92 million), expansion side St. Louis City ($11.187 million), the New York Red Bulls ($11.331 million) and the Philadelphia Union ($13.291 million).

FC Cincinnati, the recently crowned Supporters’ Shield winners, checked in at 21st with a total guaranteed compensation of $14.349 million.

Based on current MLS standings heading into Decision Day, the three highest-spending teams — Miami, Toronto and the Galaxy — will all miss the playoffs. Austin FC, which ranked sixth at $19.166 million, is the other team among the top 10 spenders to miss out on the postseason.

Lionel Messi Scores in MLS Debut to Help Lead Inter Miami to Win Over New York Red Bulls

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Lionel Messi is celebrating a goal-tastic MLS debut…

In his long-awaited Major League Soccer debut, the 36-year-old Argentine soccer star netted a late goal to put the seal on a 2-0 win for Inter Miami at the New York Red Bulls on Saturday.

Lionel Messi After playing nine games in just over a month following his arrival in South Florida, leading his new team to the Leagues Cup title and the final of the U.S. Open Cup, Messi was handed a well-earned rest and began the game on the substitute’s bench as Miami returned to league play in New Jersey. 

The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner made his entrance to a thunderous reception in the 60th minute, and still had enough time to provide the fans with a moment to treasure.

He both set up and finished the goal, playing a pass that perhaps no one else on the field or stadium could even see — let alone play — to Benjamin Cremaschi before receiving the ball back for a simple finish in the 89th minute.

It was Messi’s eighth goal already for his new team and matched the goal he scored in his one previous appearance as a substitute — in his debut against Cruz Azul on July 21.

With Messi’s effort adding to a 37th-minute goal by Paraguayan midfielder Diego Gómez, Miami secured what was a much-needed win for the star-studded team in its uphill task to make the playoffs later this year.

Miami entered the game with an 11-game MLS winless streak that included eight defeats and had just one road victory this season. It’s 22 points were the fewest among the league’s 29 teams and there was a 12-point gap to erase to get into a playoff position.

That coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino saw that his team could prosper without Messi for an hour of the game will be a welcome bonus, particularly as the forward will be needed for the start of Argentina’s World Cup qualifying campaign next month.

However, there was doubtless initial disappointment for many watching on in Red Bull Arena and beyond.

The streets around Red Bull Arena were packed 2 1/2 hours before the match, filled with dozens of scalpers and people selling unlicensed Messi jerseys. A simulcast of the game was scheduled on a videoboard in Times Square.

Inside the stadium, fans began a chant of “we want Messi” within the first 10 minutes of kickoff.

Instead there was a chance for Miami’s three young South American signings, who joined as the less-heralded half of Miami’s summer squad overhaul alongside the three big-name ex-Barcelona stars — Messi, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba.

Fellow Argentine Facundo Farías took Messi’s spot supporting Leonardo Campana in attack, Gomez offered intensity in the midfield and another Argentine Tomás Avilés held thee Red Bulls at bay in defense.

And it was Gomez who put Miami ahead with his first goal in Miami pink. After Alba’s free-kick had been half-cleared, Noah Allen sent the ball back into the box and Gomez was left free to turn and finish into the bottom corner of the net.

Messi, his eyes focused on the field throughout, rose from the bench to applaud the 20-year-old’s goal and a 1-0 lead.

The noise level inside the stadium rose once more at the start of the second half as Messi began to warm up on the sideline. It would not be long before he made his entrance, gracing the field in an MLS game for the first time more than 2 1/2 months since he announced his stunning decision to continue his career in the U.S.

At that point Miami was coming under growing pressure from the Red Bulls. But Messi’s presence, coupled with that of fellow substitute Sergio Busquets, allowed Miami to regain its composure and superiority.

His late brilliance this time was just the icing on the cake.

Lionel Messi Scores Again & Helps Lead Inter Miami CF to Leagues Cup Semifinals

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Lionel Messi continues his goal-scoring streak…

The 36-year-old Argentine soccer star maintained his record of scoring in every game for Inter Miami CF as his new team cruised into the Leagues Cup semifinals with a 4-0 win over Charlotte FC in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Friday.

Lionel MessiMessi’s eighth goal in five games since his arrival came with just four minutes remaining and with Miami already three goals up for the perfect finale for the close to 22,000 in attendance at DRV PNK Stadium.

Miami will travel to face last year’s Eastern Conference champions Philadelphia Union on Tuesday as they seek to continue their remarkable turnaround since welcoming the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner.

Josef Martínez scored Miami’s opening goal in the 12th minute. He took a penalty ahead of Messi for the second time in three games and once again found the net.

Miami’s second goal came just past the 30-minute mark. With Messi’s run into the penalty box taking the attention of multiple Charlotte defenders, U.S. international DeAndre Yedlin found the run of a wide open Robert Taylor to sweep home a low shot from the center of the area.

“When you have Messi, you know he just needs a chance. He just needs one second,” Charlotte coach Christian Lattanzio said. “You have to be very sharp to stop him from producing the magic he’s been producing since he went to Barcelona when he was 16.”

Perhaps no player has flourished more since Messi’s arrival than Taylor. After scoring five goals in 52 MLS appearances pre-Messi, the Finnish midfielder has four goals in five games with the Argentine great alongside him.

The impact on the team has been similar. Previously averaging just one goal per game as one of the lowest scorers in MLS, Miami has been scoring at a rate of more than three goals a game since the man with more than 800 career goals arrived.

After conceding four times in a wild round-of 16 victory at FC Dallas on Sunday, Miami’s defense also held its own at home.

With Messi’s former Barcelona teammate Sergio Busquets shielding Miami’s backline, Charlotte didn’t manage a shot on target until the 55th minute. And though the visitors posed more of an attacking threat after some half-time changes, Miami was rarely troubled.

At the other end, Messi kept pulling the strings. With 12 minutes left, he released Diego Gomez with an inch-perfect pass down the left, and the substitute’s cross was turned into his own net by Charlotte defender Adilson Malanda.

“It’s beautiful to play with each other again,” said Busquets, a former Messi teammate with Barcelona.

For those in attendance, including Argentina’s World Cup-winning coach Lionel Scaloni, the only thing missing was a Messi goal. Not one to disappoint, Messi duly delivered it after an assist from Leonardo Campana.

Messi passed Minnesota United FC‘s Bongokuhle Hlongwane for the lead in Leagues Cup goals; each entered Friday with seven in four matches. Minnesota was eliminated in a 5-0 loss at Nashville SC.

It was the second consecutive game and third time in four outings in which Miami scored four goals, part of the massive turnaround of team that is in last place in Major League Soccer‘s Eastern Conference.

Inter now is just two wins away from the first trophy in the team’s short history and a 44th in the legendary career of their new No. 10.

Lionel Messi Notches Two Goals & an Assist in First Game as an Inter Miami CF Starter

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Lionel Messi is off to the races…

The 36-year-old Argentine professional footballer followed up his game-winning goal last week by netting two goals and logging an assist in Inter Miami CF’s 4-0 win over Atlanta United.

Lionel MessiMessi and Sergio Busquets were officially in Inter Miami CF’s starting lineup Tuesday night at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, for the first time since joining the MLS side.

It didn’t take long for the former Barcelona teammates to make an impact, with Busquets lofting a perfect ball over Atlanta’s defense to Messi, who missed his first attempt but put back the rebound to give Miami a 1-0 lead in the eighth minute.

Messi added another goal on a counterattack in the 22nd minute to double the margin with an assist from Robert Taylor, who scored Miami’s third to give the team a 3-0 advantage at halftime of the Leagues Cup match.

Taylor scored the final goal for Miami after the break with an assist from Messi, who was substituted in the 78th minute to a rousing ovation from the home crowd.

Busquets left the game six minutes earlier and was replaced by Victor Ulloa.

“It was a good performance and I’m pleased we were able to make our fans happy. A very good game and we took another step in the right direction,” Miami manager Gerardo Martino said.

Miami swept its group and moved on to the round of 32 in the Leagues Cup, in which it will host an opponent to be determined.

Atlanta became the 100th club that Messi has scored against.

Busquets and Messi spent 13 years playing together in Barca‘s first team before Messi moved to Paris Saint-Germain in 2021, and they have remained close friends since their trophy-laden run at Camp Nou.

“So many years playing together, so it’s very easy to play with him,” Busquets said. “I’m so happy to be by his side.”

Messi and Busquets came on as substitutes in their debuts in a dramatic win over Cruz Azul on Friday that saw Messi win the game on the final kick.

Martino managed Messi and Busquets for a season at Barcelona and said after the match he wasn’t surprised to see them connect for the opening goal.

“These two players are so good at what they do, they create space,” Martino said.

“Since those two have gotten here, the spirit has changed,” Miami right-back DeAndre Yedlin said. “Obviously, guys are really excited. But I think just their presence gives everybody more confidence. And I think also the teams that we’re playing against now have a bit of fear in their eyes. When those two are on the field, you know you’re in for a tough game.”

Miami and Atlanta are currently playing in the inaugural Leagues Cup competition — a World Cup-style tournament between MLS and Liga MX sides. Messi could make his official debut in an MLS game at home against Charlotte on August 20.

Lionel Messi to Serve as Captain for Inter Miami CF’s Leagues Cup Match Against Atlanta United FC

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Lionel Messi is reporting for captain duty… 

The 36-year-old Argentine soccer star will wear the captain’s armband and could potentially start in Tuesday’s home Leagues Cup group match against Atlanta United FC, Inter Miami CF head coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino said Monday.

Lionel Messi“Yes, he was our captain last game as well,” Martino said when asked at Monday’s news conference if Messi would lead the squad against the coach’s former team.

“It is very likely that both Messi and Busi [Sergio Busquets] will play longer, even from the beginning. Everything will depend on how they feel. It’s just their second game.”

The former Barcelona teammates made their debuts in Friday’s 2-1 opening group stage win over Cruz Azul, going nearly 40 minutes each in a game Messi punctuated by scoring one of his trademark free kicks at the end to claim all three points.

When asked if he was shocked or surprised at the way Friday night’s game ended, Martino said: “It is something habitual from him [greatness], and because it is habitual, we try to normalize things that are not common.”

Thanks to that storybook victory, just gaining a point against Atlanta on Tuesday will secure a spot in the Leagues Cup round of 32, while a win would mean Miami would most likely host the winner of the South 2 group featuring Orlando City SC, Charlotte FC and Santos Laguna.

DeAndre Yedlin was the previous captain after replacing Gregore, who got injured in mid-March.

However, before Martino can look ahead to a potential knockout game with Inter Miami, he has the task of facing the club he built from an expansion team to MLS Cup champions in just two years before departing to coach the Mexico men’s national team.

“Atlanta is a place that is very important in my heart and a place I enjoyed,” Martino said. “Not just the club, but the two years in the city. It is a game that has a special factor.”

Miami striker Josef Martínez was a key contributor in Atlanta’s 2018 title run, and will be facing his former team for a second time if he gets onto the field Tuesday.

The 30-year-old Venezuelan scored both goals in Miami’s 2-1 win back in early May, and Martino thinks he might see something more special from him soon.

“In these last two weeks, I have found the Josef of Atlanta,” he said of his target man, who scored 111 times in 158 appearances for their former club. It’s clear that Martino has also found — in just a few training sessions and one match — what the arrival of Messi can bring to his struggling squad, not just with his actual play on the ball.

“What was seen of Messi in the game trying to order his teammates, is what he has been doing in the training sessions,” Martino said. “He helps and talks about football with his teammates.”

Speaking of teammates, another of Messi’s former Barcelona buddies, 34-year-old left back Jordi Alba, could feature in Tuesday’s game in some capacity after arriving in town only last week.

And the rumors about veteran Uruguayan striker Luis Suárez continued to fly Sunday when Inter Miami announced it had traded $150,000 in allocation money to San Jose in return for an international roster spot.

But with the hefty buyout current club Grêmio has in Suárez’s contract and the fact that time is running out before the transfer window closes in just over a week on August 2, it seems that spot will instead likely to go to 20-year-old Argentine attacking midfielder Facundo Farias, with whom the team reportedly has a verbal agreement in place.

“What we are doing is we are working on the definitive decisions about the roster,” Martino said when asked about Sunday’s move. “Between this transfer window and December-January, we have to put together a definitive team and will be managing all the variables with our directors.”

Lionel Messi On Track to Make Inter Miami Debut This Weekend Following First Training Session

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Lionel Messi is still on track to make his Inter Miami debut this weekend. 

The 36-year-old Argentine professional footballer remains on track for his MLS debut after coming through his first official training session with the MLS club on Tuesday.

 

Miami has long targeted Friday’s Leagues Cup opener against Mexican side Cruz Azul for the Argentine superstar to make his first appearance following his blockbuster move to South Florida. 

It has been a whirlwind few days for Messi, with his signing on a 2 1/2 year contract that’ll pay him between $50 million and $60 million a year being confirmed Saturday before being unveiled in front of a sell-out crowd at Miami’s DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale the following day.

After Messi trained alongside former Barcelona teammate and fellow new signing Sergio Busquets, Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham confirmed that he expects the World Cup winner to play some part in Friday’s game.

“We don’t know if Leo will start the game or whether he’ll come on, because I think at the end of the day, he needs to be ready,” Beckham told ESPN. “We need to protect him and make sure that he’s ready because he’s had a vacation.

“He’s now been in Miami for a week and he’s been training really hard and he looks great. So I think Leo and [head coach] Tata [Martino] will decide when he plays and when he comes on on Friday, but the atmosphere here will be incredible, and hopefully we get a win.”

On Tuesday, a helicopter hovered overhead, drones buzzed around the field and about 200 media members lined up toward the back of the complex to get a look at Messi. He, like Busquets, went through a welcome tunnel as part of the first practice, which meant jogging past teammates as they lined up and clapped.

“It’s like Michael Jordan going to play, you know, overseas,” Miami’s United States international defender DeAndre Yedlin said. “You know it’s like I said, it’s not something that I would have thought would have happened in my time playing. But I’m so glad that it did.”

More international stars could soon be joining Messi, with Inter Miami’s managing owner Jorge Mas saying Tuesday that former Spain left-back Jordi Aba was set to sign later in the day, while also confirming an interest in another of Messi’s former Barcelona teammates, striker Luis Suárez.

For now, though, Mas, who also expects Busquets to make his debut Friday, said he was looking forward to a momentous occasion for a team struggling at the bottom of MLS‘ Eastern Conference after 11 games without a win.

“Friday’s match against Cruz Azul will be a very important for us because we expect to have Lionel and Busi [Busquets] debuts,” he told ESPN. “We are looking to improve our level and aiming for better results. But we also need Lionel and Tata to feel good and help them to get acclimated to the city and club.

“I personally like that Messi’s first game is going to be against a team from Liga MX for a global audience, and I hope Mexico and the United States can enjoy and celebrate this historic occasion.”

Some tickets for the game are going for as little as $275 or so on the secondary market; some of the very best seats are exceeding $19,000. Prices have been fluctuating quite a bit and likely will continue doing so until game time.

Perhaps the most emotional member of the crowd will be Beckham himself, 16 years on from making his own historic move from Real Madrid to the LA Galaxy.

“I might actually cry when I see him walk onto the pitch,” Beckham told ABC‘s Good Morning America.

“I’ve realized as I get older I get more emotional. I look at my kids I get emotional, I talk to my kids and my wife I get emotional. So I think the moment i see Leo step out onto the pitch in front of our fans, in front of this nation … I don’t know, I’ll be emotional for sure.”