Sport Minister Olivia Grange with Inter Miami soccer star Lionel Messi shortly after the workforce’s arrival in Jamaica for his or her Concacaf Champions Cup match in opposition to Cavalier on Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (Picture: Garfield Robinson)
March 12, 2025
KINGSTON, Jamaica – Lionel Messi arrived in Jamaica on Wednesday as a part of an Inter Miami squad that may face native champions Cavalier FC within the second-leg Concacaf Champions Cup match on the Nationwide Stadium in Kingston on Thursday.
The Argentine soccer famous person and his teammates greeted Sport Minister Olivia Grange and different officers on the tarmac shortly after their arrival on the Norman Manley Worldwide Airport.
Messi’s look with the workforce in Jamaica – which has generated plenty of pleasure domestically – had been in query because the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner has missed a number of matches lately, together with Inter’s 4-1 win on the Houston Dynamo in Main League Soccer on March 2 and the 2-0 midweek residence win over Cavalier within the first leg of the last-16 tie in opposition to the Jamaicans, because the membership manages his work load as a precaution in opposition to damage.
Grange instructed the Jamaica Observer that she was proud that Jamaica was internet hosting Messi and his teammates, suggesting that it was an additional increase for the island as a model.
“I’m feeling very blissful, I’m blissful that Jamaica is ready to host excessive profile matches. Having Messi and different excessive profile gamers right here makes Jamaica appears to be like good, and I’m additionally happy with Cavalier, the truth that they get to play with among the most excellent gamers on the earth,” Grange stated, including that “Model Jamaica will likely be additional enhanced and because the minister of sport I’m very happy with that.”
In the meantime, Peter Mullings, Deputy Director of Tourism touted the event as a lift for occasion tourism in Jamaica.
“Messi brings plenty of consideration and definitely his being right here offers us a possibility to showcase the vacation spot much more, in lots of areas, occasion tourism is one other space we need to concentrate on and that is one other alternative to take action,” Mullings stated.
Video: Ramon Thompson
