Lionel Messi is officially a member of Inter Miami CF. On Sunday (July 16), the fútbol star was introduced to his new fans during an unveiling ceremony at DRV PNK Stadium.
“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,” Messi said in Spanish. “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.”
He added: “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.”
While the sold-out crowd was excited to see their new player, however, the evening didn’t play out as perfectly as officials with Inter Miami CF probably hoped it would.
First, the weather didn’t help the situation. It was pouring rain, which delayed the ceremony for at least an hour.
Tonight, Inter Miami officially introduces Lionel Messi to MLS. Fans are packed at the stadium’s gates, even as the event enters a weather delay.pic.twitter.com/1JUV0BQOSN
There were also reportedly audio problems throughout the ceremony, which made it impossible for fans to hear Lionel Messi or the translator chosen for the event.
Messi will have to do the talking on the field, because with that dubbed audio I didn’t hear a word he said
Can ANYONE hear the audio for the #Messi presentation?!?!?!
el audio de la presentación de messi es tan choto que en partes arrancan como dos minutos de interferencia y me pongo asi pensando que me agarro un acv mas o menospic.twitter.com/Ti4DrAGVGV
Apparently, the ceremony wasn’t even broadcast on the video screen inside the stadium.
Después de la presentación de Messi al Inter Miami por @AppleTV me siento mucho mejor con cualquier presentación que he hecho en mi vida. Hicieron esto sin amor, pésimo audio, no pusieron el vídeo de bienvenida, no transmitieron a los artistas, muy malos ángulos, fatal.
Admittedly, it was a great night for fútbol and for Inter Miami CF fans (and the farm animals they brought to the celebration).
Inter Miami fans, tonight you officially become part of Messi FC forever, we are the biggest movement on earth, we transcend wars, politics, countries, borders, cultures, and social class. ?? pic.twitter.com/LNNdin0LoY
But the ceremony itself left much to be desired according to fans.
C’mon Apple, #MLSSeasonPass and @InterMiamiCF
Esperaba una mejor presentación de #Messi en #Miami … de hueva !! El audio horrible ? Pero bueno, que par de contrataciones ? se aventaron ⚽️⚽️⚽️
As many fans put it, they believed Lionel Messi deserved better.
Oigan @MLS el productor de la presentación de Messi debe buscarse otro empleo. Que producción tan penosa! El audio, las tomas, los pases. Todo mal mal mal. Qué pena contigo @LeoMessiMedia . merecías algo mejor, mínimo un piso que no fuera resbaloso.
