Lionel Messi’s wife Antonela Roccuzzo left humbled by ‘love’ from Inter Miami for her family as she shares video of their sons wearing jerseys chanting the team name

Lionel Messi’s wife, Antonela Roccuzzo, has thanked Inter Miami for their stunning welcome at the team’s glitzy ceremony on Sunday evening.

Taking to Instagram on Monday night, she shared a selfie of herself, Messi and their three sons, with the caption: ‘New beginnings.

‘How beautiful the love with which they received you, Leo Messi! Always by your side!’

She then tagged Inter Miami in the post with three flexing bicep emojis and also shared a heartwarming video of their three sons, Mateo, Ciro and Thiago, in Miami jerseys chanting the team name.

Roccuzzo was personally greeted by Miami co-owner David Beckham during the ceremony on Sunday and he gave a speech referencing Messi’s family during the unveiling. 

Lionel Messi’s wife, Antonela Roccuzzo, has thanked Inter Miami for their incredible welcome

Antonela also shared a video of their three sons in Miami jerseys, singing the team name 

Miami’s DRV PNK stadium was packed with 20,000 fans ready to welcome Messi to their team and a torrential downpour of rain that delayed the unveiling did not dampen the excitement.

The 36-year-old Messi eventually made his way out onto the field and spoke to fans for the first time as a Miami player – with Antonella and their sons watching on from the stands. 

The Messi family own a home in Miami and their fondness of the area is believed to have contributed to them choosing to move to the US – even though a more lucrative offer came from Saudi Arabia.

Adidas and Apple TV are contributing to the $60m-a-year that Messi is expected to earn playing in Major League Soccer. 

Adidas will pay him a cut of the Inter shirts they sell with his name on the back, while Apple will do likewise with the MLS subscriptions that follow Messi’s move to the US. 

Messi will practice with his new Miami teammates on Tuesday and is expected to play his first game for his new team on Friday, against Mexican side Cruz Azul in the Leagues Cup. 

Messi told his new fans on Sunday night: ‘Thank you very much. First of all I want to thank all the people of Miami for this welcome, this affection. I want to thank you for the kindness and love that you have given me. This has happened so fast.

‘I am very happy to be here, to be with you. I want to thank Jose (Mas, Miami co-owner), David (Beckham) for the welcome. 

‘They are making everything easy for us, everything has been spectacular since we arrived. I really want to start training and compete. I want to win for the club to continue growing. 

‘I hope that you will join us as you have since the season began. I thank my new colleagues for the welcome. 

‘I am very happy to have chosen this city with my family, to have chosen this project. I have no doubt that we are going to have a good time. Thank you all very much for this day.’

The Miami team itself is in urgent need of Messi’s star quality. It has not won in 11 MLS games and is last in the Eastern Conference – 12 points away from the playoff positions. 

One of Messi’s Barcelona teammates, Sergio Busquets, has followed Messi to Miami and was also unveiled on Sunday night.

Another, in defender Jordi Alba, is expected to follow soon.