Inter Miami plan to honor Lionel Messi’s eighth Ballon d’Or win ahead of a friendly clash against New York City FC.
The game’s greatest ever player will take the field one last time for the Herons in 2023 at DRV PNK Stadium, with the contest set for November 10.
“The festivities will be highlighted by a pregame moment on the field, presenting the Ballon d’Or trophy to the fans at DRV PNK Stadium, followed by speeches from Messi himself, as well as Managing Owner Jorge Mas and MLS Commissioner Don Garber,” an Inter Miami club statement read.
Miami and Messi had plans to travel to China for a pair of friendly contests on an international tour, but it was canceled due to “unforeseen circumstances,” prompting the south Florida side to search elsewhere for friendly competition.
Even though Messi only played a handful of games in MLS, he was nominated for the Newcomer of the Year award, but Atlanta United’s Giorgos Giakoumakis ended up taking home the prize due to his 17 goals with the Five Stripes.
Even though Miami missed out on MLS Cup playoffs, Messi and the likes of Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets orchestrated a 2023 Leagues Cup runt that saw them take down Nashville SC in the final to capture their first trophy in club history.
In the Barcelona legend’s first season with Miami, Messi notched 11 goals and five assists in 14 appearances across all competitions. With a few months off to recover and Luis Suarez potentially joining the Herons, Miami will look to push on for bigger and better things in 2024.
