Lionel Messi was shown to people – Kommersant

The American club Major League Soccer (MLS) on Sunday presented to the public its main acquisition – Lionel Messi. Thousands of people came to greet the Argentine at the stadium in Fort Lauderdale. Note that the arena DRV PNK Stadium is small, only 18 thousand spectators. Otherwise, there could have been more people. “I am very proud to be with you,” Messi addressed the audience. “Thank you for your hospitality. Everything happened so quickly… Now I want to start training and competitions faster. Our goal is to win.”

Messi’s move was announced back in June. The Argentine’s contract with PSG, which he has played for since 2021, has expired, and Miami has the opportunity to get one of the best players in history without paying a transfer. However, the services of a player like Messi will still cost the club dearly. His contract is for two and a half years. The salary will be from $50 million to $60 million per season. Plus, he’s owed a signing bonus. Thus, the expected income of Messi during the term of the contract will be about $ 150 million. The agreement also provides that the Argentinean will receive a share of sponsorship contracts held by the MLS, in particular, from agreements with Apple and Adidas. The terms of the latter were not disclosed. In the meantime, Messi’s transfer has made Miami the most expensive team in the league: its squad, according to Transfermarkt, is worth €70 million. Exactly half of the cost comes from Messi. The roster of the former leader, New York City, is estimated at €65 million.

Miami is currently the worst team in the league. After 22 games, the team has only 18 points (5 wins, 3 draws and 14 losses) and is in last place in the Eastern Conference. The worst team in the Western Conference, the Colorado Rapids, have one more point.

Alexander Petrov