Lionel Messi was given a rousing reception as thousands of fans braved torrential rain to welcome Inter Miami's new superstar signing in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on Sunday.
Heavy rains delayed Messi's grand appearance before eventually he was paraded as the new face of Major League Soccer (MLS) to a packed DRV PNK Stadium.
Messi, 36, who seven months ago led Argentina to World Cup glory in Qatar, was presented to fans during a glitzy event called "The Unveil" at Miami's home stadium.
After being introduced, the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner walked towards the midfield along a spotlight-lined catwalk wearing a T-shirt and jeans and was presented with his No 10 shirt before addressing the crowd in Spanish.
"I am very happy to have chosen to come to this city with my family, to have chosen this project and I have no doubt that we are going to enjoy it very much," said Messi.
"We are going to have a good time and great things are going to happen. Thank you very much, thank you all for this day.
"I can't wait to start training to compete. I feel the same desire I've always had to compete, to really want to win and to help it [Miami] continue to grow."
After his remarks, a video compilation of well wishes was played on the stadium's big screen and included messages from the likes of former NFL quarterback Tom Brady and NBA player Stephen Curry.
The former Barcelona forward was then joined on the field by his wife and three children where they posed for photos before more fireworks lit up the night sky.
The event was being held a day after Inter Miami announced that Messi signed a contract that will keep him with the club through 2025.
Messi will be available to make his debut on Friday in a Leagues Cup fixture against Mexico's Cruz Azul.
Messi's arrival is a huge boost for the profile of football in the United States, which will co-host the 2026 World Cup with Mexico and Canada.
Following the expiration last month of his contact at Paris Saint-Germain, where Messi spent the past two years, it was widely expected he would either join the growing band of players headed for the riches of the Saudi Pro League or make an emotional return to Barcelona.
Saudi giants Al Hlial reportedly offered Messi a deal worth $400 million a year, while Messi told Spanish newspapers last month that he "really wanted to come back to Barcelona", the club where he spent the majority of his career winning trophies galore and where he remains the club's leading scorer.
However, he had reservations over the club's financial strength.
Messi instead opted for a move to Miami and joins a side co-owned by former Manchester United, Real Madrid and England midfielder David Beckham.
"Like all of you, I cannot wait to see Leo take the field in our colours," Beckham told the crowd moments before Messi was introduced.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the next chapter of our story starts here."
Messi's presence on the pitch can not come soon enough at Miami as the team sit bottom of the MLS Eastern Conference and suffered an 11th successive defeat on Saturday when they lost away to St Louis City 3-0 on Saturday.
Miami are bottom of the Eastern Conference with 18 points after 22 games.
Sunday's ceremony also marked Miami's official signing of former Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets. The Spaniard landed a deal that runs through the 2025 season.
Busquets, 35, and Messi were teammates at Barcelona for 15 seasons, winning 10 league titles, four Champions League crowns and three Club World Cups together.
A World Cup winner and two-time European champion with the Spanish national team, Busquets left Barca this summer as a free agent after spending his entire career at Camp Nou.
"This is a special and exciting opportunity that I'm very excited to take. I'm looking forward to this next step in my career with Inter Miami," Busquets said.
"I was impressed by the club when I came with Barcelona last year and now I'm happy and ready to represent the club myself. I can't wait to help bring the success that this ambitious club strives for."
You may remember …
Robbie Keane (Atletico de Kolkata) The Irish striker is, along with his former Spurs teammate Dimitar Berbatov, the headline figure in this season’s ISL, having joined defending champions ATK. His grand entrance after arrival from Major League Soccer in the US will be delayed by three games, though, due to a knee injury.
Dimitar Berbatov (Kerala Blasters) Word has it that Rene Meulensteen, the Kerala manager, plans to deploy his Bulgarian star in central midfield. The idea of Berbatov as an all-action, box-to-box midfielder, might jar with Spurs and Manchester United supporters, who more likely recall an always-languid, often-lazy striker.
Wes Brown (Kerala Blasters) Revived his playing career last season to help out at Blackburn Rovers, where he was also a coach. Since then, the 23-cap England centre back, who is now 38, has been reunited with the former Manchester United assistant coach Meulensteen, after signing for Kerala.
Andre Bikey (Jamshedpur) The Cameroonian defender is onto the 17th club of a career has taken him to Spain, Portugal, Russia, the UK, Greece, and now India. He is still only 32, so there is plenty of time to add to that tally, too. Scored goals against Liverpool and Chelsea during his time with Reading in England.
Emiliano Alfaro (Pune City) The Uruguayan striker has played for Liverpool – the Montevideo one, rather than the better-known side in England – and Lazio in Italy. He was prolific for a season at Al Wasl in the Arabian Gulf League in 2012/13. He returned for one season with Fujairah, whom he left to join Pune.
2020 Oscars winners: in numbers
- Parasite – 4
- 1917– 3
- Ford v Ferrari – 2
- Joker – 2
- Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood – 2
- American Factory – 1
- Bombshell – 1
- Hair Love – 1
- Jojo Rabbit – 1
- Judy – 1
- Little Women – 1
- Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You're a Girl) – 1
- Marriage Story – 1
- Rocketman – 1
- The Neighbors' Window – 1
- Toy Story 4 – 1
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
The Voice of Hind Rajab
Starring: Saja Kilani, Clara Khoury, Motaz Malhees
Director: Kaouther Ben Hania
Rating: 4/5
Director: Romany Saad
Starring: Mirfat Amin, Boumi Fouad and Tariq Al Ibyari
INVESTMENT PLEDGES
Cartlow: $13.4m
Rabbitmart: $14m
Smileneo: $5.8m
Soum: $4m
imVentures: $100m
Plug and Play: $25m
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Bundesliga fixtures
Saturday, May 16 (kick-offs UAE time)
Borussia Dortmund v Schalke (4.30pm)
RB Leipzig v Freiburg (4.30pm)
Hoffenheim v Hertha Berlin (4.30pm)
Fortuna Dusseldorf v Paderborn (4.30pm)
Augsburg v Wolfsburg (4.30pm)
Eintracht Frankfurt v Borussia Monchengladbach (7.30pm)
Sunday, May 17
Cologne v Mainz (4.30pm),
Union Berlin v Bayern Munich (7pm)
Monday, May 18
Werder Bremen v Bayer Leverkusen (9.30pm)
HEADLINE HERE
- I would recommend writing out the text in the body
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- That's about it
Thanksgiving meals to try
World Cut Steakhouse, Habtoor Palace Hotel, Dubai. On Thursday evening, head chef Diego Solis will be serving a high-end sounding four-course meal that features chestnut veloute with smoked duck breast, turkey roulade accompanied by winter vegetables and foie gras and pecan pie, cranberry compote and popcorn ice cream.
Jones the Grocer, various locations across the UAE. Jones’s take-home holiday menu delivers on the favourites: whole roast turkeys, an array of accompaniments (duck fat roast potatoes, sausages wrapped in beef bacon, honey-glazed parsnips and carrots) and more, as well as festive food platters, canapes and both apple and pumpkin pies.
Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, The Address Hotel, Dubai. This New Orleans-style restaurant is keen to take the stress out of entertaining, so until December 25 you can order a full seasonal meal from its Takeaway Turkey Feast menu, which features turkey, homemade gravy and a selection of sides – think green beans with almond flakes, roasted Brussels sprouts, sweet potato casserole and bread stuffing – to pick up and eat at home.
The Mattar Farm Kitchen, Dubai. From now until Christmas, Hattem Mattar and his team will be producing game- changing smoked turkeys that you can enjoy at home over the festive period.
Nolu’s, The Galleria Mall, Maryah Island Abu Dhabi. With much of the menu focused on a California inspired “farm to table” approach (with Afghani influence), it only seems right that Nolu’s will be serving their take on the Thanksgiving spread, with a brunch at the Downtown location from 12pm to 4pm on Friday.
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Huddersfield Town permanent signings:
- Steve Mounie (striker): signed from Montpellier for £11 million
- Tom Ince (winger): signed from Derby County for £7.7m
- Aaron Mooy (midfielder): signed from Manchester City for £7.7m
- Laurent Depoitre (striker): signed from Porto for £3.4m
- Scott Malone (defender): signed from Fulham for £3.3m
- Zanka (defender): signed from Copenhagen for £2.3m
- Elias Kachunga (winger): signed for Ingolstadt for £1.1m
- Danny WIlliams (midfielder): signed from Reading on a free transfer
RESULT
Manchester United 2 Burnley 2
Man United: Lingard (53', 90' 1)
Burnley: Barnes (3'), Defour (36')
Man of the Match: Jesse Lingard (Manchester United)
