MIAMI — Lionel Messi has played in packed stadiums all over the world during his legendary career, but the Argentine icon and Inter Miami captain had never been cheered by an audience quite like the one he encountered late Wednesday afternoon at the Kaseya Center in downtown Miami.

These spectators were not wearing pink No. 10 or striped Argentina jerseys, but they loved him just the same.

A well-heeled, well-dressed crowd paid big money and filled the Miami Heat’s home arena for the American Business Forum, a two-day conference whose speaker lineup included President Donald Trump, Argentina’s president Javier Milei, Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Corina Machado, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, FIFA President Gianni Infantino, tennis stars Serena Williams and Rafael Nadal, and Messi.

Hours after training with his teammates in Fort Lauderdale in advance of Saturday’s decisive playoff Game 3 showdown against Nashville SC, Messi addressed conference goers and global remote viewers from a giant futuristic stage with extravagant lighting and pyrotechnics.

As he walked onto the stage in a dark gray suite, the crowd roared and broke into the familiar chant of “Messi! Messi!”

He was interviewed in Spanish by Miami mayor Francis Suarez and the 30-minute conversation covered topics ranging from his arrival to FC Barcelona as a 13-year-old to his transition to Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Miami, his World Cup victory in 2022, how it feels to watch his sons play youth soccer, and his newfound love for the NFL.

Messi shared that moving to Spain as a young teen was a challenging time in his life.

“The truth is that it wasn’t easy, even though I was always accompanied by my family,” he said. “These were significant changes for me because everything was new, not only for me but also for my dad, my mom, and my siblings. We had our life in Rosario, our friends, our school. And it was like starting from zero.

“Honestly, it was hard because we were very attached to our roots, our people, and our family. But I never doubted. I never took a step back. I was very clear about what I wanted and the pursuit of my dream.”

He added that relocating from Barcelona to Paris in 2021 was also difficult.

“Going to Paris was tough because we had lived in Barcelona our whole lives and we were very happy there,” Messi said. “We had our family, our children, we had everything, we all grew up there. Imagine, I left Argentina when I was 13 and spent my whole life [in Barcelona]. My wife arrived in the city for the first time when she was 20 or 21. And well, change is never easy, and I had to adapt.

“The truth is that we were doing well in the city, the kids were doing well in their daily lives, as was my wife. But well, as I’ve said several times, in terms of soccer and the day-to-day, I wasn’t having a good time for a lot of reasons. It was very different from what I was used to.”

The transition to South Florida in 2023 was much easier, he said.

“This change was different because it was a family decision, and we decided to pursue my career in Miami and I think that means a lot, choosing where you want to be,” he said, drawing a big cheer. “So that makes things much easier. From the time I arrived here in Miami, it was spectacular in this incredible city. And then, the affection of all the people from the very first day.”

On his 2022 World Cup title: “It’s difficult to convey the feeling of that moment, to describe what that title meant on a personal level, for my family, my teammates, and my country. It showed how much the country meant to us, how much we needed and wanted it after so much time had passed.”

Asked if champions are born or made, Messi smiled and replied: “I always said that God gave me a gift. He blessed me. And I was like that from a very young age. But later, along the way, I made a lot of sacrifices, a lot of effort to strengthen that gift I had. Professionals in any field have to make sacrifices.”

On being a soccer dad: “I’m lucky to be able to accompany [his sons] to training sessions, to games. They come to my games and are very close to the pitch. They’re passionate about soccer, they spend all day playing with the ball. I like that they’re growing up playing this sport because it’s a sport that I love and I’ve been able to pass that on to them.”

On spending more time with his family: “As they grow up, I try to be there for them in everything they need. I missed out on a lot of things because of my profession, because I was often at training camps, at games, I missed birthdays. And today I enjoy those little moments much more.”

Messi is in his third season in MLS and sees the growth.

“I think the entire MLS has made an important change,” he said. “We are fortunate to play in front of full stadiums everywhere we go. I believe that soccer in general in the United States has grown a lot, and it is reflected every weekend.”

Messi shared that he has learned to love American football since his arrival in Miami.

“I always watched the Super Bowl, the final game, and now I follow the regular season much more closely. My children play American football in the schoolyard. And well, that’s how I learned.”

He got a loud cheer when Suarez announced that Messi recently signed a new three-year contract with Inter Miami. He spoke about how eager he is to play at Miami Freedom Park stadium, which is under construction and scheduled to open in spring 2026.

Messi also addressed the significance of the 2026 World Cup, which will be held in the United States, Mexico and Canada from mid-June to mid-July.

“It already happened in 1994, when the World Cup was played in the United States, which was spectacular and marked a turning point for the U.S. league,” he said. “I think that this World Cup is going to be extraordinary because of everything the United States is capable of, what it can achieve in terms of organization, stadiums and people, people who come to see their teams. And I think it’s an important moment for soccer in the United States in general, which I hope will be taken advantage of to continue growing.”

At the end of his talk, Messi was presented with a key to the City of Miami by the mayor and Inter Miami managing owner Jorge Mas.

“This is a small token from this city whose hearts you have captured,” Mas said. “But this is a welcome not only for you, but for Antonella and your beautiful family, so that you will always feel at home here.”

Messi admitted he generally prefers playing to speaking in public.

“My thing was always playing, that is what did when I was little and what I always dreamed of,” he said. “But the truth is that today I had a good time. It wasn’t so hard for me. When you feel comfortable and supported by all this affection, it makes is easier.”

Messi was the final speaker on Wednesday. Nadal and Williams are the sports headliners on Thursday.

Earlier Wednesday afternoon, Trump’s face lit up when he scanned the first few rows of seats and spotted Infantino.

“I didn’t know he was going to be here, he’s big stuff,” Trump said. “I wanted to be President when they have the World Cup, and look what happened, Gianni. I’m President and we have the World Cup.

“I can tell you the tickets are selling in record numbers like never before. We have the World Cup coming, 250 [nation’s 250th anniversary] is coming, and the Olympics. And UFC at the White House. That’s going to be a tough ticket.”

Infantino was asked about his relationship with Trump.

“I have a great relationship with President Trump,” Infantino said. “I’m really lucky. It’s been very helpful with everything with the World Cup.”

The American Business Forum sponsors include The Public Investment Fund, the sovereign wealth fund of Saudi Arabia, Florida International University’s Adam Smith Center for Economic Freedom, American Airlines, Faena, St. Regis, and Royal Caribbean.

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