Lionel Messi has entered his first official week as a player for Inter Miami, and he is swiftly getting acquainted with his new teammates.
The Argentinian superstar was unveiled by the club on Sunday, following the confirmation of his signing on a two-and-a-half year contract a day earlier.
Interestingly, Messi will be joined by a familiar face in the United States, as legendary midfielder Sergio Busquets has also made the move after the expiration of his Barcelona contract.
Furthermore, there have been reports linking Inter Miami with the signing of left-back Jordi Alba, another former Barcelona star.
In addition to Messi, the club’s Designated Player status is occupied by former Wolves forward Leonardo Campana, while ex-Newcastle full-back DeAndre Yedlin and Venezuela forward Josef Martinez are among the other players at the disposal of manager Gerardo Martino.
New training footage suggests that Messi has already formed a strong bond with one of his new teammates at Inter Miami, indicating the development of a close friendship.
Lionel Messi training footage released
At the age of 36, Lionel Messi is on the verge of making his debut for Inter Miami in a Leagues Cup match against Mexican club Cruz Azul, scheduled for Friday.
While the MLS season does not resume until August 21, Messi has a month to prepare for his first league fixture with Inter Miami.
Following his summer break, during which he finalized his departure from PSG, the Argentine superstar has wasted no time in getting ready for his debut with his new team.
Footage has emerged, showcasing Messi training alongside his Inter Miami teammates, as they prepare for the upcoming matches.
Here is the footage of Messi training with his new teammates:
¡MESSI YA SE ENTRENA CON EL #INTERMIAMI! pic.twitter.com/5PuW0GQlUi
— TyC Sports (@TyCSports) July 18, 2023
In the training footage, Lionel Messi can be seen engaging in a conversation with Josef Martinez, the Venezuelan star known for his remarkable goal-scoring ability and being one of the most prolific scorers in MLS history.
Martinez, 30 years old, had an outstanding start to his MLS career with Atlanta United between 2017 and 2019, netting an impressive 77 goals in his first 83 appearances.
Unfortunately, he missed the entire 2020 season due to an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear suffered in the opening game.
In his subsequent returns to the pitch, Martinez managed to score 12 goals in 24 games and nine goals in 26 games before being traded to Inter Miami for the 2023 season.
Given Inter Miami’s current position at the bottom of the Eastern Conference and their lack of victories since May, the franchise will undoubtedly rely on the partnership between Messi and Martinez to provide a potent offensive force and help improve their performance in the league.