Lionel Messi handed key to the city of Miami

Lionel Messi was presented with the key to the city of Miami on Wednesday evening by Mayor Francis Suarez following his appearance at the America Business Forum.

Messi, who joined Inter Miami in July 2023, quickly became a central figure in the club’s history. He led the team to its first-ever trophy, winning the Leagues Cup shortly after his debut.

Since then, Inter Miami have captured the 2024 Supporters’ Shield and recorded the highest points total in a single MLS season.

“I have had the wish to give this [key] to you for all that you’ve done for our grand city, our country and the world of football, thank you,” Suarez said.

At the ceremony, Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas also paid tribute to the Argentine star.

He said: “I want to share and say something about our Inter Miami captain, our number 10. This is a small gift from this city, which has captured the hearts of all of us.

“This is a welcome not only for you but also for wife Antonela and your beautiful family, so that you can always feel at home here.”

Messi’s achievements since arriving in MLS include winning the 2024 MLS MVP award and the 2025 Golden Boot, while he remains a finalist for this year’s MVP honour.

Although his original contract was due to expire at the end of the 2025 season, the 38-year-old has extended his stay with a new three-year deal that keeps him in South Florida until 2028.

“Thank you, I feel very honoured by this,” Messi said. “It’s true that, as I just said, we feel very loved, very grateful, very happy to be living in this city, and to be able to have this distinction for me is a great honour, so thank you.”

Reflecting on His Journey

During the forum, Messi also reflected on his career path, including the emotional departure from Barcelona and the challenges of adapting to life in Paris with PSG before his move to the United States.

“Well, the truth is that the first time we moved to Paris was tough because we’d lived our whole lives in Barcelona,” he said. “We were very happy there – family, the kids, we had everything. We grew up there.

“Imagine, I left when I was 13; that’s my whole life. My wife arrived in the city for the first time when she was 20 or 21. And well, it’s never easy to adjust and adapt. But the truth is, we settled in well, the kids too, in their daily lives, just like my wife.

“But, as I’ve said several times, I wasn’t having a good time in terms of football and day-to-day life. I wasn’t enjoying myself for a lot of reasons, partly because everything was new to me, very different from what I was used to.”

After two seasons in France, Messi chose to begin a new chapter in Miami.

“It was a family decision; we decided to pursue my professional career in Miami,” Messi added. “I think that means a lot – choosing where you want to be and being able to do it makes things so much easier.

“And after I arrived in Miami, it was spectacular. Living in this city for the first time is incredible. And then there’s the way everyone has been since day one. The first day was amazing, and today is just another example of the welcome I feel.”

Messi’s comments came as Inter Miami announced progress on its new stadium near Miami International Airport, where the final beams of the roof structure were recently installed.

“I’m happy in this place, so I’m very happy to continue,” he said. “I’m really anxious, really looking forward to it being finished, to be able to play here.”

Inter Miami will now turn their focus to Saturday night’s huge play-off match against Nashville SC at Chase Stadium, where they will need to overcome a 2-1 deficit.