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Lionel Messi has landed in South Florida alongside his wife Antonela Roccuzzo and his three sons to make his move to Inter Miami official.
The Argentine superstar left Paris Saint-Germain as a free agent last month. He was linked with a return to Barcelona, but their well-documented financial difficulties made it difficult for a move to materialize.
Messi chose to join Inter Miami instead and is reportedly set to sign a two-and-a-half-year deal with an option to extend it for another year. He will apparently earn between $125 million to $150 million for the duration of his deal.
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The seven-time Ballon d'Or has now landed at the Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport ahead of signing his deal with his new club. A video posted on Twitter by @ESPNFC showed him getting off a jet with Roccuzzo and their sons Thiago, Mateo and Ciro.
Here's the video:
The family was seen heading towards a black Mercedes van that presumably took the 36-year-old to the DRV PNK Stadium — a 1.8-mile journey. He's expected to make his debut for Inter Miami in a Leagues Club clash against Cruz Azul on July 22.
Lionel Messi pledges to keep up his standards at Inter Miami
Lionel Messi's decision to move to MLS side Inter Miami is seen by many as a step down and a departure from top-level club football.
The former Barcelona superstar, though, is on record as saying that he chose to join the MLS club, as he wanted to focus on his 'day-to-day' life more. However, he has assured the fans of his new club that he won't let his standards drop.
In an interview with Argentina TV (h/t ESPN), the Argentine legend said:
"My mentality and my head are not going to change, and I am going to try, wherever I have to be, give my best for myself and my new club, continue to perform at the highest level."
The FIFA World Cup was the last missing piece in Lionel Messi's overflowing trophy cabinet. For many, he's in the running to be named the Ballon d'Or award this year. He won the Ligue 1 title with PSG and registered 21 goals and 20 assists in 41 games across competitions last season.
