The official timeline for ‘La PresentaSÍon’ promised the action would start around 6.30pm in Fort Lauderdale. They got that bit right. It was slated to take place in center field. Instead it came in the skies above DRV PNK Stadium: a flash of light and then a boom which jolted the foundations of this temporary ground.
At least Inter Miami can always say the Lionel Messi era began with a bang. It’s just a shame that, for a while, the fireworks and festivities fell victim to thunder and lightning and black clouds and swirling rain.
They have had record temperatures here in recent days and the mood around Inter Miami has been approaching fever pitch, too. For much of Sunday night, however, the stage erected on the halfway line glistened not with football’s biggest star but with the debris of a tropical storm that threatened to rain on the biggest parade in MLS history.
Pity the poor staff whose job involved mopping the runway, even while the heavens remained open. But eventually, around 8.30pm, this stadium fell dark again and the skies of South Florida were alight and crackling once more. Thankfully, these fireworks were part of the show.
Rain still fell in Fort Lauderdale but the stands were packed and the first cries of ‘Messi, Messi’ rang out.
Lionel Messi gave an emotional speech as he was unveiled as an Inter Miami player on Sunday
Messi was introduced to Inter Miami supporters alongside co-owner David Beckham (right)
Beckham nearly slipped over as he walked on the platform that had been drenched by rain
They had been waiting six weeks for this night, since the World Cup winner announced his move to Florida.
When it finally rolled round, they had to wait some more. They had to wait for co-owners David Beckham and Jorge Mas to shuffle along the wet platform – Beckham came perilously close to a slip – and say their bit. They had to wait for fellow new boy Sergio Busquets to be given the briefest unveiling.
But, eventually, shortly before 9pm, Messi – ‘your No 10, Miami’s No 10, America’s No 10’ according to Mas – stepped into the light. Up went the decibels, up went more fireworks. Up came the new pink shirt emblazoned with Messi: 10.
He was gone a few minutes later, flanked by his family. It was short but, for those supporters who braved the elements, how very sweet. The hope for Inter Miami and Major League Soccer is that Sunday night marks the start of a marriage that changes sport in the United States forever.
All captured in beautiful high-definition, too. Apple and Major League Soccer have announced special measures for Inter Miami now Messi is in town. The club’s matches will include ‘enhanced’ TV production, including 18 cameras, Skycam and a drone.
This new era kicked off on Sunday night, with Skycam offering ‘unique angles of Messi’s unveiling.’ For a brief time, it seemed they might provide only enhanced footage of a flood. Thankfully the event survived.
Next step for Messi? Training on Tuesday and then his debut, scheduled for here on Friday against Cruz Azul. So you can forgive the clichés and cringe from Beckham and Mas. This was a daring deal that had its roots all the way back in 2019. ‘Tonight that dream comes true,’ Mas said.
Only a few hours after this move became official, however, came the latest, stark reminder of the reality Messi will face when all the glitz and pomp eventually gives way to football. On Saturday night, Inter Miami was beaten 3-0 by St Louis.
Messi thanked Beckham and said the Miami owners have made ‘everything easy’ for him
But the unveiling was delayed after a violent storm hit the DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale
At one point, the weather around the stadium threatened to derail the evening schedule
It was Tata Martino’s first game in charge. Their winless streak is now 11 matches; they have the fewest points of all 29 MLS teams. They need a minor miracle to reach the playoffs. Their squad has been in need of reinforcements. Time will tell how much magic is left in this 36-year-old frame.
It can’t hurt that Messi will be surrounded by familiar faces. On Sunday, Inter Miami confirmed the signing of his former Barcelona team-mate Busquets. Jordi Alba is expected to join them. Busquets’ move was announced shortly before 4pm.
By then, fans had been gathering outside DRV PNK Stadium for several hours. They were dotted around the ground; many set up camp in the shade. As the sun burned and clocks ticked towards evening, fans painted a tapestry of Messi’s life and times.
There were Inter Miami jerseys and bucket hats dedicated to their new No 10. There were Argentina uniforms – both rugby and soccer – but also the colours of Barcelona and even Newell’s Old Boys, the storied Argentinian side that Messi once called home. One fan, walking through the fan zone, wore a black t-shirt that carried only one image: a goat.
Under the palm trees nearby, supporters enjoyed a kickabout. By 4pm, the car park across the road was alive with noise and food and colour. The tailgating had started and, before long, so had the fireworks.
Fort Lauderdale was coming to the boil. And then the gods took over. Soon the only flashes and bangs overhead had been sent down from the heavens. The skies over DRV PNK Stadium were already beginning to blacken by the time the first warnings came through the speakers.
Supporters in Florida were forced to seek shelter from winds and torrential rain on Sunday
Fireworks light up the Fort Lauderdale sky as Messi is unveiled as an Inter Miami player
Earlier in the evening, Messi’s former Barcelona teammate Sergio Busquets was unveiled
Supporters were warned to leave the bleachers and seek shelter. Lightning was on its way and so were delays. Down below, the stage, the lights, the smoke machines, the TV sets – everything was covered in tarpaulin and braced for the storm.
Around 6pm, half an hour before the entertainment was due to start, the rain and wind arrived. They were a brutal combination. Supporters sought refuge in stairways and gangways. Ponchos were blown off their backs, the on-pitch sets took a battering, too.
Outside the stadium, meanwhile, chaos was brewing, too. Drenched fans breached at least one security gate, flooding inside, over the turnstiles and under cover. On and on it went.
This corner of South Florida was still being drenched in rain when the show started and the stands began to fill up once more.
Antonela Roccuzzo, Messi’s wife, pictured making her way onto the field in Miami
Victoria Beckham (right) was also in attendance on a proud evening for husband David
Cue farcical scenes in the centre circle, where DJs and dancers waltzed around the stage while, around them, crew mopped up water. They had planned around two hours of music and entertainment before Messi emerged.
Thankfully, the delays meant that schedule was flipped. Storms are a part of life here. In fact, it was suggested that by shopping at Publix and then seeing best laid plans scuppered by a downpour, Messi had enjoyed a fitting start to life in South Florida.
Late on Sunday night, with the music still blaring, he re-emerged on to the field to wave to supporters and to watch his children kick a ball around. Soon it will be his turn.
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