Wednesday was a day for celebration at Inter Miami. Finally, after all of these years, their dream has come true. Lionel Messi, perhaps the greatest soccer player of all time, chose them as his next club. In just a few weeks, one of the game's great icons will put on that soon-to-be-famous pink shirt for the first time.
It's a monumental moment, no doubt, one that will change the trajectory of Inter Miami and American soccer as a whole. However, when it comes to Inter Miami, their trajectory will certainly need changing. Messi, by any measure, is walking into something of a mess.
How you view that fact depends on how optimistic you are as a person. The pessimist would see a club with no head coach at the bottom of the table. They'd see a team that is, quite obviously, the least-talented of any Messi has played for. They'd see a roster that will ask a hell of a lot of a 35-year-old star that, at least in recent years, has preferred to be more of a provider at club level.
The optimist, though, sees an opportunity. They would see a chance to rebuild the club, mainly in Messi's image. They'd see something of a blank canvas located in a corner of the world that many athletes are drawn to, even more so now due to the presence of the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner.
But, make no mistake, Inter Miami won't be waltzing to an MLS Cup just because Messi put pen to paper. There's hard work ahead for all involved and, even with Messi still on board, there's still so much to figure out.
This page contains affiliate links. When you subscribe through the links provided, we may earn a commission.
Sign up here for MLS Season Pass through Apple TV and watch every MLS match, including the playoffs!
.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&width=640&quality=60)