Messi captains Inter Miami
On July 21, Messi made his Inter Miami debut as a substitute from the 54th minute against Cruz Azul 2-1 in the Leagues Cup. As soon as he entered the field, the Argentinian rookie was handed the captain's armband by defender DeAndre Yedlin. Messi then scored a super free kick in the fourth minute to seal a 2-1 victory for Inter Miami.
On July 24, during the press conference before the Atlanta United match in the second round of the J Leagues Cup, coach Martino confirmed Messi will continue to be the captain of Inter Miami. The 29-year-old Brazilian midfielder Gregore has been the official captain of Inter Miami this season, but he is taking a long-term break due to a foot injury.
Coach Martino then praised the compatriot striker's free kick on his debut. "That's the familiar part of Messi's greatness," said the 60-year-old coach. "It's like Messi's habit, but we try to normalize the abnormal. Still, I think many people have envisioned a masterpiece of his goal from the moment the referee blew the penalty."
The new head coach of Inter Miami also emphasized that Messi and midfielder Sergio Busquets can start or not depends on the duo training and regaining the best shape.
While at Barca, Messi was elected vice-captain since 2015 and captain since 2018, after Andres Iniesta left the club. The Argentine star is the greatest player in Barca history, scoring 672 and assisting 305 goals in 778 matches, winning 10 La Liga and four Champions Leagues. Barca is also a launching pad for Messi to win seven Golden Balls.
At the team level, Messi has been captain since August 2011, leading Argentina to three finals in a row, the 2014 World Cup, Copa America 2015, 2016 but all failed. He has just spent two memorable years with Argentina, winning the 2021 Copa America, the 2022 Intercontinental Super Cup and the 2022 World Cup.
After leaving PSG, Messi joined Inter Miami with a two-year contract with a seasonal salary of 50 million to 60 million USD. The 36-year-old striker is also paid a part of revenue from new subscription accounts to watch MLS on Apple TV, as well as a part of the profit increase of sportswear company Adidas in the US.
