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Lionel Messi takes to the practice field for 1st time since signing with Inter Miami

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Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Lionel Messi, center, and Sergio Busquets, left, stretch during a training session for the Inter Miami MLS soccer team Tuesday, July 18, 2023, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.(AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. ā€“ Lionel Messi jogged a lap with his new teammates, took part in a warmup drill of players making short passes in a tight circle and before long tapped his left foot at a ball that wound up in the back of an open net.

Inter Miami's new star wasted no time fitting right in.

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The World Cup winner and seven-time Ballon d'Or recipient took part in a training session with his new Major League Soccer club for the first time on Tuesday, three days after signing a 2 1/2 year contract that'll pay him between $50 million and $60 million a year.

A helicopter hovered overhead, drones buzzed around the field and about 200 media members lined up toward the back of the complex to get a look at Messi. He, like newly signed Sergio Busquets ā€” also a World Cup winner ā€” went through a welcome tunnel as part of the first practice, which meant jogging past teammates as they lined up and clapped.

ā€œWith Leo coming here, it raises the bar again,ā€ said Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham, who like Messi had an incredible career overseas before coming to MLS toward the end of his playing career. ā€œIt has the eyes of the world. Not just Argentina, but the eyes of the world.ā€

Messi was not made available for comment to the general media, nor were any other players or coach Tata Martino.

ā€œItā€™s about legacy for him," Beckham said of Messi. ā€œHeā€™s at the stage of his career where heā€™s done everything that any soccer player can do in a sport. Heā€™s one of the greatest players, if not the greatest player, to ever play the game. So heā€™s still hungry. Iā€™ve seen him on the training pitch. I know heā€™s still hungry. Sergio is exactly the same. And theyā€™re the type of players that we want to bring to our club.ā€

Messiā€™s first match is expected to be Friday, a Leagues Cup contest at home against Cruz Azul. Some tickets are going for as little as $275 or so on the secondary market; some of the very best seats are exceeding $19,000. Prices have been fluctuating quite a bit and likely will continue doing so until game time.

Then again, someone might get front-row tickets for $1. Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, a Republican candidate for president, has asked backers to ā€œconsider making a $1 donationā€ to get him on the debate stage ā€” saying all such donors would be entered in a chance to be in the front row for Messiā€™s debut game.

Such is the power of Messi. Inter Miami hasnā€™t won an MLS match in more than two months; it has gone 0-8-3 in MLS play since beating New England on May 13.

Making the playoffs are a long shot for Miami. But there is hope for other trophies, such as Leagues Cup ā€” a tournament between teams from MLS and Mexicoā€™s Liga MX, with both leagues shutting down regular play for the competition ā€” and the U.S. Open Cup.

Inter Miami is in the semifinals of the U.S. Open Cup; itā€™ll play Cincinnati in late August. The final of that tournament is in September. And Beckham is taking a big-picture view of how the franchise is defining success right now.

ā€œWe feel weā€™ve succeeded,ā€ Beckham said. ā€œIs it good enough? No. We want to succeed on the field. We want to win trophies. Thatā€™s the most important thing. We do feel that succeeded, but short term success? We have Lionel Messi. That's success. ... The foundations are there. The foundations are there to succeed.ā€

Messiā€™s decision to play in the U.S. might be the biggest boost ever for American soccer on the pro stage. Some of the gameā€™s biggest names ā€” PelĆ©, Franz Beckenbauer, Thierry Henry and Beckham himself ā€” have come to the U.S. toward the end of their careers, but landing a player still no worse than near the pinnacle of his game and just a few months removed from hoisting a World Cup is simply huge, especially with part of the next World Cup in 2026 set to be played on U.S. soil.

ā€œIt shouldnā€™t be lost on anybody that the timing is right,ā€ MLS Commissioner Don Garber said earlier this week. ā€œCopa America will be here in 2024, Club World Cup will be here in 2025, the World Cup will be here in 2026. This is not a coincidence, right? Itā€™s all part of our continual focus to do everything we can to make our league a league of choice, not just here, but around the world and be part of the conversation.ā€

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More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports


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