Five things to know about Inter Miami, Lionel Messi's new club

Miami is one of the most famous cities in the United States of America. It is known for its sunny beaches, dramatic nightlife, Hispanic influence, and Art Deco architecture.

The vibrant city is also known for sports like basketball, baseball, hockey, athletics, tennis, golf, sailing, motorsports and football, which is set to receive a major lift with the arrival of Argentine football great, Lionel Messi.

The footballing genius has signed for Inter Miami CF and is set to play his first match as early as July 8 against D.C. United, or against Liga MX side Cruz Azul in the Leagues Cup on July 21.

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So, here are five facts you might want to know about Inter Miami ahead of Messi’s much-anticipated arrival.

When was Inter Miami formed?

Inter Miami CF are one of the newest clubs in Major League Soccer (MLS), the American equivalent of the English Premier League.

The club were formally unveiled in January, 2018 and played its first match in 2020. It is the 25th club in the MLS.

However, it took several years in the making after David Beckham formed the investment group, Miami Beckham United. Working closely with British entrepreneur Simon Fuller, the creator of Pop Idol and American Idol and his Bolivian counterpart Marcelo Claur, they began their expansion francize to eventually form Inter Miami CF.

Who owns the club?

Former England international David Beckham, who joined Major League Soccer club LA Galaxy in 2007, is one of the owners of the team together with businessmen Jorge and Jose Mas.

Beckham is married to Pop star Victoria ‘Posh Spice; a former member of the all-girl British band, Spice Girls.

When Beckham formed the club, he wanted it to have a "South American flavor" hence the full name of the team is Club Internacional de Futbol Miami, the making them the only team in MLS with a Spanish name.

Forbes recently valued Inter Miami at $600 million..

Who plays for Inter Miami CF?

Inter Miami CF is a hyperglobal, yet local, team that boasts a roster of close to 40 players. While the majority are from the United States the clubs also has players from Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Haiti, Honduras, Sweden, France, Finland, Ukraine in its ranks.

The team is led by Brazilian defensive midfielder, Gregore de Magalhães da Silva , who is commonly known as Gregore.

In 2021, he was named as Inter Miami’s most valuable player where led the number of tackles (55) among all teams of the MLS Regular Season.

What is the story of the jersey?

The team jerseys are inspired by the wings of the great white heron and highlighted by the colour pink, a nod to South Florida’s vibrant culture and tradition.

A closer look at the crest will reveals two heron's whose legs are joined to form an "M" for Miami.

Beckham also put his stamp on the crest with seven rays shooting out of a sun, a hark back to the No 7 jersey he wore on the back of his jersey for most of his career.

Do Inter Miami have a home stadium?

The club currently plays its home matches at the 18,000 capacity DRV PNK Stadium, in nearby Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

They won their first game here beating Orlando City 302 in 2020,

A new stadium is currently under construction at Miami Freedom Park, adjacent to the Miami International Airport, with an increased capacity of 28,000 fans.

Miami Freedom Park and is set to be ready by 2025.

• Sports