When will Lionel Messi make his debut for Inter Miami? All you need to know

Lionel Messi (Pic: AFP)

Inter Miami, after years of plotting, pleading and hoping, introduced arguably the game's biggest star on Sunday night, presenting their new franchise player with his pink No. 10 jersey that millions of people will be buying over the coming weeks and months.

"I'm very much moved to be here in Miami, to be with you," Messi said. "I want to thank you, all of you, on behalf of my family, for the kindness that you have given me."

When Inter Miami began floating the notion that it would be the team to land Messi and bring the World Cup champion to Major League Soccer, there were no shortage of people who were, to put it mildly, skeptical about how realistic a plan that was.

Among them: MLS Commissioner Don Garber. Yes, even the man running the league had a bit of doubt.

Not anymore. Messi to Miami isn't just crazy talk. It happened, with Messi now tasked to lift a team that currently has the fewest points in the MLS standings and is mired in an 11-game winless streak.

"Here we are today with a player that I think, without doubt, is not only a generational player but in my opinion the greatest of all time," Garber said. "Went through a process throughout his decision-making period over the last number of months, if not the last year, to determine where he was going to play. Many of you have heard us say that we want MLS to be a league of choice, a league of choice for players, for fans, for partners, and ultimately for investors.

"And when you have the best player of all-time making Major League Soccer his league of choice, I think it's a real testament to where MLS is and where it's going in the years ahead."

The event billed as "The Unveil" happened at the team's stadium in Fort Lauderdale. It comes one day after Messi, MLS and Inter Miami finalized his signing through the 2025 season.

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It's the start of a busy week of events for Messi with his new club. His first official training session that will be open to reporters is set for Tuesday and - if all goes to plan - he will play Friday in a Leagues Cup match against Cruz Azul. That could also be the Miami debut of World Cup winner Sergio Busquets, a Spanish midfielder who completed his long-awaited signing with the club Sunday through the 2025 season.

Messi, a World Cup champion for Argentina and seven-time Ballon d'Or winner as the world's best player in a given year, is joining a club that has the fewest points in MLS and is mired in an 11-match winless streak. Inter Miami opened the season with two wins and has gone 3-14-3 since. It has 12 MLS matches left this season, and is 12 points out of a playoff spot - so it's going to take a ton of wins just to have a chance.

The club previously announced that Messi's deal will be for 2 1/2 seasons and will pay him between $50 million and $60 million annually - putting the total contract value between $125 million and $150 million in cash alone. There are other factors, the value of which isn't known.

"This ought to be fun. ... This journey here in Miami has been an epic one," Garber said.

Messi's greatness is not in question; he led Argentina to the World Cup this past December and is still generally considered one of the very best goalscorers in the world - if not the best.

When will Argentina legend make his debut?

July 19

Messi is not officially on the roster for the All-Star game against Arsenal, but he is believed to make a brief appearance at Audi Field in Washington D.C. on July 19.

July 21

After months of play and no rest, Messi may need at least a month off football and to be eased back into playing which is why it has been reported that his debut for the club would likely be their Leagues Cup match against Cruz Azul on July 21 at DRV PNK Stadium.

August 20

After that match, there will be another break during which Messi can rest again before facing Charlotte FC at home on August 20 for his MLS league debut.