New Delhi: “When you talk about American football, there’s always Messi before and after,” said Jorge Mas, co-owner of Inter Miami, where Lionel Messi makes his debut early Saturday morning.
After four years of grueling and ruthless pursuit, Mass, whose brother Jose also shares a stake in the Florida-based club with David Beckham, finally landed the biggest deal in US Major League Soccer (MLS) history last month.
Messi’s new beginning in US
The pre-Messi era in American football will officially come to an end at 5:30 a.m. IST on July 22 as the Argentine world champions face Mexican club Cruz Azul in the League Cup in Miami at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. This came shortly after Messi’s official unveiling last Sunday, when more than 20,000 people flocked to Miami’s home stadium to get an up-close look at the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner.
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Where to watch Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami matches
With thousands of people across the country paying exorbitant fees to see Messi bow in person, how can you watch the GOAT from the comfort of your living room? India has no official broadcaster for MLS and League Cup matches, so the answer is Apple TV and its MLS Season Pass. You don’t need an Apple device to access these services. Just go to Apple TV on your computer or mobile phone and set up an account.
After that, an MLS Season Pass subscription that allows you to watch all of Messi’s matches in Miami and tons of other MLS content will cost you Rs 1,299 per month, or Rs 3,900 for him for the rest of the season (MLS seasons typically run between February and December). However, if you also subscribe to an Apple TV subscription for INR 99 per month (with a 7-day trial period), the MLS Pass price drops to INR 1,199 per month and INR 2,900 for the rest of the season.
If you don’t want to spend your money on Messi, you can always bet on finding unofficial streams on Twitter and YouTube. However, for die-hard Messi fans, this is not a sustainable option as streams like this are buggy and offer an inferior experience even at full capacity.
We have officially SOLD OUT #DRVPNKStadium for our first @LeaguesCup match against Cruz Azul this Friday, July 21st: https://t.co/29JyUggvOX pic.twitter.com/uvEIMpf3Y2
— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) July 20, 2023
Lionel Messi to rejoin with coach Gerardo Martino
As for Messi, it will be his first appearance in club colors against Cruz Azul since he finished the season with Paris Saint-Germain in France last season, when he scored 21 goals and provided 20 assists in all competitions. In Miami, Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino, from Messi’s hometown of Rosario, Argentina, will be coached. The two worked together during a turbulent 2013-14 season at Barcelona and with the Argentina national team from 2014-2016.
Jordi Alba also joins Miami
The addition of former Barcelona stars Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba should be a boon for Miami’s No. 10, even if Miami’s current squad lacks world-class talent to back Messi. Indeed, with Catalan-born Messi’s other former teammates Luis Suárez and Andres Iniesta also set to move to Miami in the coming weeks, Magic City could well be the venue for Barcelona’s reunion. Messi hasn’t been in his prime, physically or mentally, after winning the World Cup with Argentina in December, but Miami will need his inspiration to climb from the bottom of the Eastern Conference in the MLS.
Lionel Messi’s next assignment
But Saturday’s challenge is different. A regional club competition between MLS clubs and Mexican Liga MX clubs. The tournament will feature two round robin matches before the danger escalates in the knockout stage. Miami will face a challenge with 2019 champions Azul, but with Messi finally playing in pink, anything could happen.
