Lionel Messi has been introduced to Inter Miami’s fans during a special event hosted at the MLS club’s DRV Pink Stadium.
During the ceremony, which was dubbed The Unveil and broadcast live, the 36-year-old Argentina superstar greeted Inter Miami owner David Beckham with a hug before receiving his pink No 10 jersey.
Messi told the crowd: “I want to thank all the people of Miami for their welcome and love since I arrived in this city.
“The truth is that I’m very excited and very happy to be here in Miami and to be with you.
“I can’t wait to start training and competing. I’m here with the desire I’ve always had to compete, to want to win, and to help the club continue to grow.”
The stadium was practically full, despite the event being delayed by poor weather.
Beckham said during the broadcast that it made for a “typical Miami welcome for one of the greatest players to ever have played the game”.
He added: “The fact that we have our fans in here, celebrating this moment… this is what we have created and we’re very proud of that.”
Joining Messi onstage was former Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets, whose arrival at Inter Miami was officially announced earlier on Sunday.
Busquets, 35, who had spent his entire playing career at the Nou Camp, left Barca at the end of the season and will be reunited with former team-mate Messi, whose own move to Miami was confirmed 24 hours earlier.
Speaking during The Unveil event, Inter Miami’s primary owner Jorge Mas called Messi “the best player to ever don boots”.
He said: “When David and I first met and we dreamt of what Inter Miami represents, it started off with the freedom to dream.
“And we dreamed of not only bringing elite players and the best players but the best player to ever don boots — and his name is Lionel Andres Messi.”
Messi revealed last month he had decided to join the Florida side as his contract with Paris St Germain came to an end.
With the deal now officially done, Messi is in line to make his debut for his new employers on Friday against Mexico’s Cruz Azul in the Leagues Cup.
Seven-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi arrives after a season in which he helped his country to World Cup glory in Qatar, as well as PSG to the Ligue 1 title, as in his first campaign with them in 2021-22.
That adds to an already huge trophy haul on his CV that features four Champions League successes from his years with Barcelona, for whom he scored a staggering total of 672 goals.
Joining Miami sees Messi – who has also netted more than 100 international goals – reunite with boss Gerardo Martino, who he previously worked under with Barca and Argentina.
Martino was appointed in June after the club sacked Beckham’s ex-Manchester United team-mate Phil Neville.
Inter Miami have signed midfielder Sergio Busquets following his departure from Barcelona.
Busquets, 35, who had spent his entire playing career at the Nou Camp, left Barca at the end of the season and will be reunited with former team-mate Lionel Messi, whose move to Miami was confirmed 24 hours earlier.
Miami said in a statement: “Inter Miami CF announced (on Sunday) that it has signed legendary Spanish midfielder Sergio Busquets to a contract running through the 2025 Major League Soccer (MLS) season.
“The one-time World Cup champion, nine-time LaLiga winner and former FC Barcelona captain, considered to be one of the greatest midfielders of all time, will occupy a Designated Player slot and is expected to join the team in the coming days.”
Busquets was a member of Spain’s team which won the World Cup in 2010 and the European Championships in 2012 and over 15 seasons with Barca made 721 appearances in all competitions, placing him third on the club’s all-time list.
He said: “This is a special and exciting opportunity that I’m very excited to take. I’m looking forward to this next step in my career with Inter Miami.
“I was impressed by the club when I came with Barcelona last year and now I’m happy and ready to represent the club myself. I can’t wait to help bring the success that this ambitious club strives for.”
Henry Candy’s Araminta took her record to three wins from just four outings when successful in the Prix Chloe at Chantilly.
Out of the Roger Charlton-trained sprinter Mince and by Gleneagles, she was beaten a length in a Listed race at Goodwood over a mile on just her second start and returned to the Sussex venue to win the Height Of Fashion Stakes last time out.
Upped to Group Three company in France, she took it in her stride. Settled in just behind the leaders by the veteran Gerald Mosse, she was pulled out to challenge two furlongs from home.
While she did not immediately put the race to bed and briefly looked vulnerable, the longer the race went on, the more her stride lengthened and she pulled away to beat Excellent Truth by a length and a quarter.
Candy said: “She just keeps improving. She’s a lovely, big, scopey animal and she won really nicely today and she was very relaxed which was nice.
“Gerald asked me this morning ‘does she lengthen or does she quicken’ and I replied that she does both. She does lengthen but she does have a kick.
“She’s a little unlucky to not be unbeaten.
“I think the Nassau will come a bit too quick but the entry is there. It does look a very good race this year and the best she could hope for would maybe be third or fourth.
“It might be best to give it a miss but I’ll see what the boys want to do – I sound like Aidan O’Brien saying that but that is as close as I’ll get to him!
“Looking at her pedigree, I can’t see her getting an inch beyond 10 furlongs really – luckily she’s very good at that, she’s very exciting.”
John and Thady Gosden will take things gently with Lion’s Pride, who they see as the best of the Roaring Lion progeny they have trained.
Roaring Lion was a four-time Group One winner for John Gosden as a three-year-old. A son of Kitten’s Joy, he also won the Dante and was third in Masar’s 2018 Derby.
He won the Coral-Eclipse, Juddmonte International and Irish Champion Stakes, before dropping back to a mile to take the Queen Elizabeth II at Ascot in a sensational three-year-old campaign.
Lion’s Pride, owned by Anthony Oppenheimer, could similarly become a late bloomer. He was narrowly beaten by Crystal Mariner on his Newcastle all-weather debut over 10 furlongs in early May.
He was not seen again until upped an additional furlong on the all-weather at Kempton last week, where he justified odds-on favouritism with a cosy three-length success under Robert Havlin.
Gosden senior has no immediate plans for the colt – who is a half-brother to Gold Cup winner Courage Mon Ami – although he hinted that bigger things could soon be on the horizon.
He said: “He’s always been a very talented horse and he couldn’t run last year.
“He’d run the once this year and was green – he’s still learning. But he has got a lot of potential and we’ve always liked him.
“Of the Roaring Lions, he’s always been the best one, I think. They invariably do better with age.
“We will stay at a mile and a quarter right now, probably go for a novice and kick on from there.”
Eve Johnson Houghton is preparing a strong assault on the Weatherbys Super Sprint Stakes with her talented youngsters Bobsleigh and Juniper Berries.
Bobsleigh collected the Woodcote at Epsom in the process of winning his first two starts and was not disgraced when beaten three lengths in sixth behind River Tiber in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Juniper Berries also showed a good level of form in her early outings and was another to perform with real credit at the summer showpiece when finishing fourth in the Queen Mary Stakes.
Both were given time off to recover from their Ascot exertions, but now the Oxfordshire-based handler has her eye on Newbury’s valuable five-furlong sprint for her pair of precocious two-year-olds, who could be tasked with trying to pick up the £122,925 cheque on offer to the winner.
“I think they are both going to run in the Super Sprint at Newbury,” said Johnson Houghton.
“I gave them both a bit of a break after Ascot because it’s tough going there and it’s a tough old track. They’ve had a nice break and are back doing really well.”
Christopher Head is eagerly looking forward to taking on Nashwa with his dual French Classic winner Blue Rose Cen at Goodwood.
The daughter of Churchill has been a revelation for Head, winning the Prix Marcel Boussac last season before carrying all before her this term.
She landed the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches by a length and three-quarters before thriving for the step up to 10 furlongs in the Prix de Diane, winning by four lengths.
With Nashwa bursting back on to the scene with her thrilling win in the Falmouth on Friday, she will be lying in wait for the French challenger, hoping to defend her title in the Qatar Nassau Stakes.
“We’ll stay on the plan, the Nassau Stakes and of course the fight with Nashwa – I can’t wait to see that like all the racegoers and lovers of races,” Head told Sky Sports Racing.
“She had a little bit of time out but I want to be competitive in the next race, so I’m not going to wait.
“She’s pretty much shown she can go on any ground – she’s been on firmer ground, she’s been on heavy ground and is possibly better on softer ground – I just can’t wait to see her run.
“There will be a lot of discussion with the owner because she will either run in the Prix de l’Opera or the Arc de Triomphe, we will see after the Nassau so it is a bit early to discuss about it.”
Aidan O’Brien has not ruled out Adelaide River joining stablemate and dual Derby winner Auguste Rodin in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes at Ascot.
Adelaide River produced a fine runner-up effort when beaten a length by Feed The Flame in the Grand Prix de Paris at ParisLongchamp on Friday evening.
The son of Australia, who was eighth in the Derby and then runner-up in the Irish Derby to Auguste Rodin, stuck to his guns admirably having kicked under Ryan Moore a furlong and a half out in the mile-and-a-half contest. John and Thady Gosden’s Oaks winner Soul Sister was a neck behind in third.
O’Brien said: “He ran a fine race. We were very pleased with that. He stayed on well and Ryan was very happy with him, so we’re delighted.
“We’ll see how he comes out of it, but he is still in the King George. We will see how things go over the next few days, but he ran well and we’re very happy with him.”
Auguste Rodin remains the 9-4 favourite with Coral for the all-aged middle-distance event, with Adelaide River unchanged at 25-1.
Starlore could be a name to note for owners Juddmonte following his impressive winning debut at Sandown last week.
The Sir Michael Stoute-trained youngster was sent off the 9-2 joint second-favourite for what looked a hot seven-furlong maiden at the Esher track and looks to have a bright future following his professional display in the hands of Ryan Moore
The son of Kingman travelled like a classy operator throughout and once hitting the front, defied his inexperience to hold off the fast-finishing pair of Maximum Dividend and the well-regarded Arabian Crown, who is trained by Charlie Appleby.
“He’s a nice horse and I would say that was a very nice maiden,” said Barry Mahon, European racing manager for owners Juddmonte.
“Sir Michael and the team were very happy with him going into the race and obviously Ryan (Moore) wanted to ride him which was a positive sign.
“I thought he did it well to be fair, I know the Charlie Appleby horse was very well fancied and I would say it was a strong maiden.
“He’s a big, immature horse and I imagine he has a lot of strengthening and maturing to do and hopefully he can develop into a nice colt.”
Last season the Stoute-trained Nostrum started out at Sandown for Juddmonte before going on to compete in Group company at the back-end of the season, and Mahon hopes Starlore could be seen at a similar level having become the first juvenile winner of the campaign for Freemason Lodge.
He continued: “I would say Sir Michael will take his time and won’t rush him because he is an immature horse and I think he will let him mature now and hopefully he will develop into a Group-race performer.
“Sir Michael is a master of finding improvement, so you would hope he will be able to keep finding improvement in him.”
Ramatuelle looks another high-class performer for Christopher Head after the filly became the first French-trained winner of the Prix Robert Papin for 10 years.
The Group Two at Chantilly has been dominated by overseas raiders in recent years, with the likes of Tis Marvellous, Signora Cabello and Blackbeard all on the roll of honour.
This time though, it was all about Head’s hugely-promising filly, who has won three of her four starts.
Her only defeat came on her second outing when beaten by Beauvatier, a subsequent Listed winner who is now unbeaten in three.
She was always travelling very kindly in the hands of Aurelien Lemaitre and once asked to put the race to bed, there was never a question she was going to quicken away.
Amy Murphy’s Myconian briefly threatened to get involved but it was Aidan O’Brien’s His Majesty who stayed on for second, beaten four lengths.
It continues a great season for Head, who has enjoyed plenty of success with Blue Rose Cen and Big Rock already.
The winning filly is owned by a syndicate which includes former NBA star Tony Parker, who told Sky Sports Racing: “It was a great win and I’m very happy for the team.
“The coach has a plan and now it’s on for the (Prix) Morny next month.
“She’s at home here, that’s her third win here and she’s clearly comfortable here at Chantilly, hopefully it will be the same next month.
“She’s super calm, it looks like she knows what she wants to do and she’s loving it. Her number one quality is her calmness. She has a huge heart and huge talent.
“I just like to share everything with our team, we share the same passion.”
Head said: “She was incredible, she loves the speed and she’ll be going to the Morny for sure. I just can’t wait to get to that race.
“I was not concerned about her being keen as there was nobody who wanted to go in front of her, she’s capable of doing better than that, of course.
“She’s pretty much like an older horse, it’s a pleasure to see her in races behave this way.”
Hukum remains on target for what looks set to be a mouthwatering edition of the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes at Ascot on July 29.
Owen Burrows’ stable star was forced to miss the Hardwicke at Royal Ascot due to the prevailing quick ground given he had only recently come back from a serious injury.
He clearly retains all his ability, though, as on his first outing for 356 days he toppled the hitherto unbeaten Desert Crown in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown.
The Hardwicke was ultimately won by William Muir and Chris Grassick’s Pyledriver, last year’s King George victor, and he will be lying in wait again. Hukum already has one verdict over him in last year’s Coronation Cup.
Also on course for the King George at present are this year’s Derby one-two Auguste Rodin and King Of Steel, plus Coronation Cup winner Emily Upjohn, with the possibility of Desert Crown, Luxembourg and Westover running, too.
“Touch wood, everything is going well and he’ll be running in the King George,” said Burrows.
“We’d like to see some rain, of course, we’d never want to go on rattling quick.
“It was frustrating to miss the Hardwicke with him, but the King George is the big one for him.
“The King George has always been about the clash of the generations and this year that looks especially the case. We’ll see what turns up, but it looks like this year it is going to be a proper race.
“We were really pleased with him at Sandown, we’ve been happy with how he’s been since, so we’re really looking forward to running him.”
Daren Ganga, Dinanath Ramnarine, and a group of other cricket administrators were dealt a major blow on Tuesday when the Trinidad and Tobago High Court ordered them to pay over TT$1 million to the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB).
The administrators had been challenging the TTCB's constitution, arguing that it was unfair to incumbent officers. They specifically took issue with the fact that incumbent officers start with 12 votes in the election of executive officers, giving them a significant advantage over challengers. However, the High Court ruled that the administrators' arguments were "fundamentally flawed" and that the TTCB's constitution was "not unfair." The court also ordered the administrators to pay the TTCB's legal costs, which amounted to over TT$1 million.
The defeat is a major setback for the administrators, who have been battling the TTCB for many years. It is also a victory for the TTCB, which has been under fire for its governance in recent years. The administrators have said that they will appeal the decision, but it is unclear if they will be successful. The High Court's ruling is a major victory for the TTCB, and it is likely to deter other challenges to the board's constitution.
The defeat is also a blow to Ganga and Ramnarine, who are both former West Indies cricketers. They had hoped to use their experience and influence to reform the TTCB, but the High Court's ruling has made that task much more difficult.
The Foxes will return to Europe for his next outing following his narrow defeat in the Belmont Derby.
Andrew Balding’s colt won the Dante before finishing fifth in the Derby at Epsom and was dropping back to 10 furlongs when making his first visit Stateside earlier this month.
He performed with real credit when sent off favourite for the Grade One contest, going down by a length in the hands of Oisin Murphy behind Todd Pletcher’s Far Bridge.
Being slowly away from a wide draw took its toll on the son of Churchill at the business end, compromising his chances of scooping the £343,750 first-prize, but connections were thrilled with his performance and now have their eyes on further big-race assignments closer to home.
He has returned to Balding’s Kingsclere base in rude health and could now be set for a return to the scene of his Dante triumph in York’s Juddmonte International Stakes on August 23 or a drop further back in trip to a mile for the Prix Jacques Le Marois at Deauville (August 13) depending on conditions.
“I think if he had missed the break from a good draw he would have still won, but I think a combination of the bad draw and missing the break just got him beat,” explained Alastair Donald, racing manager for owners King Power.
“He ran huge and it’s another step in the right direction for him, I think.”
Donald went on: “He’s back in England and he will next run in either the Juddmonte or the Jacques Le Marois. He definitely has the speed to go back to a mile and he was the last off the bridle in the Craven.
“Obviously it is stallion enhancing winning over a mile and we will probably be determined by the weather where we will run. If it was soft ground in France we wouldn’t go there and if it was soft at York we would give that a miss, so we’re just keeping our options open between those two races.”
On what was an action-packed opening day at the Caribbean Area Squash Association (CASA) Junior Championships on Saturday, most of the medal favourites safely progressed to the next round, setting up even more mouth-watering prospects for sports enthusiast, heading into Sunday’s second day of action in St Vincent and the Grenadines.
In boys’ Under-17 action, Jamaica’s Thomas Overton defeated Barbadian Armaan Suleman in straight sets, 11-3, 11-3, 11-8; Shiloh Asregado of Guyana bettered Trinidad and Tobago's Yohann Marchock 3-0, after posting 11-1, 11-6 and 11-7 scores in the three games.
Luke Wilson of Barbados also came out tops 11-6, 11-7, 11-3 in his contest against Trinidad and Tobago’s Sanjiv Mungal, while Guyana’s Demetri Lowe got the better of Trinidad and Tobago’s Marcus Camps-Campins 11-5, 11-9, 8-11, 8-11, 11-8 in a hard-fought contest.
However, when it came down to second round action, it was Guyana’s Louis da Silva, who earlier had a bye, Daniel Henderson, Luke Wilson, Vincentian Jaydon Williams, Andrew Cox, Elias Carpol, Jamaica’s Lucas Thomson and Mohryan Baksh, also of Guyana, that will contest the third round.
Da Silva will square off against Henderson, Wilson against Williams, Cox against Carpol, while Thomson and Baksh, will lock horns.
Trinidad and Tobago’s Christophe Bovell is among those that secured their spots in the next round in the boys’ Under-15 category, following a 11-13, 11-6, 11-12 and 14-12 win over Bermuda’s William Frith.
Guyana’s Richard Rodrigues also progressed after bettering Vincentian Dru Sanuel 12-10, 11-8, 8-11, 11-1 in a match that lasted 24 minutes, while Bermuda’s Charlie Makin scored an 11-6, 11-4, 11-8 win over Avian Wade of Guyana in a 16-minute contest.
Blake Edwards ensured will have another representative in the next round, as he easily brushed aside De’ron Lewis 11-6, 11-2, 11-3.
Jayden George of St Vincent and the Grenadines was given a bye, along with Barbadian Daniel Sealy, Bermuda’s Owen Rosorea and Zevieh Abraham of British Virgin Island.
Meanwhile, byes were the order of the day in the opening round of the boys’ Under-19 category, but when they got to the second round is where the true quality came to light.
Nicholas Verwey of Guyana outclassed Barbadian Aidan Parris 8-11, 11-5, 11-7, 11-3 in a four-set match that lasted a half-hour. Verwey will next tackle Jamaica’s Alex Chin, who defeated British Virgin Islands Louis Day in straight sets, 11-6, 11-6, 11-1.
Barbadian Alex Stewart and Jamaica’s Tobias Levy are also set to lock horns after both registered comfortable three-set wins over Russell Forrester and Neil McComb respectively, while another Jamaican Arjan Trehan and Guyana’s Michael Alphonso, will meet in the other contest.
On the girls’ side of action, Jamaica’s Katherine Risden defeated Darci Reich of US Virgin Island 11-3,11-3, 11-2 in a 14-minute match, to book her spot in the next round of the Under-19 category. She is set to face Sumairaa Suleman of Barbados, who was given a bye.
Another Jamaican Savannah Thomson bettered Vincentian Nadira Morgan 11-5, 11-9 and 11-1 in a 17-minute match. She awaits her opponent which will either be Trinidad and Tobago’s Sigourney Williams or Guyana’s Kirsten Gomes.
In Under-17 category, the Barbados pair of Eboni Atherley and Sarrayah Yearwood and Jamaica’s trio of Elle Wilson, Mehar Trehan and Sanjana Nallapati, are those who were safely through to the next round at the time of writing.
Trinidad & Tobago are champions of the West Indies Rising Stars Under-19 Women’s Championship after a 37-run win over the Windward Islands in the final at the Sir Frank Worrell Ground in St. Augustine on Saturday.
The hosts were first bowled out for 106 in 28.5 overs. Djenaba Joseph was the chief run-getter for T&T with 43 off 55 balls including two fours. Aniaya Roberts was the next highest scorer with 11.
Amiah Gilbert led the way with the ball for the Windwards with 4-19 from 3.5 overs while Selena Ross took 2-12 from five overs.
The Windwards were then restricted to just 69 all out off 27 overs, confirming Trinidad & Tobago’s status as champions.
Zaida James and Jannilea Glasgow were the only two Windwards batters to reach double figures with 25 and 12, respectively.
Shalini Samaroo took 3-11 from six overs while Samara Ramnath took 2-12 from six overs.
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