Inter Miami names stand in new stadium after Lionel Messi

Inter Miami will honour Lionel Messi while he is still playing by naming a stand in their new stadium after the Argentine superstar. 

The Major League Soccer club announced that the 26,700-seat Nu Stadium will feature “Leo Messi Stand”, a rare tribute typically reserved for retired legends.

“Traditionally, tributes look to the past. They are built from nostalgia. From memory. This one is different,” the club said in a statement on Friday. “This one is born from the present. From what is happening right now. From what you feel every time Leo steps onto the pitch.”

The club will play their first match at the stadium on April 4, hosting Austin FC.

Since joining Inter Miami in 2023, Messi has led the club, co-owned by former England midfielder David Beckham, to three trophies: the 2023 Leagues Cup, the 2024 Supporters’ Shield, and last year’s MLS Cup.

The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner is also the club’s all-time leader in goals (82) and assists (53) across 94 appearances. 

Earlier this month, Messi scored his 900th career goal, becoming only the second player in elite men’s football to reach the milestone after his long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo.

SH