Ticket prices surged following reports early on Wednesday that he planned to join the Major League Soccer side, which he later confirmed. Messi's first game with the team could be on July 21 when Inter Miami host Cruz Azul in their Leagues Cup opener in Fort Lauderdale. Messi's first game in a Miami jersey will likely be the most expensive MLS game on record, Kyle Zorn, brand manager at TickPick, told Reuters. "We saw an almost instantaneous jump in Inter Miami ticket prices when the word got out that Messi was leaning towards joining the club," Zorn said. "Given his status as arguably the greatest player in the world, every time Inter Miami plays on the road, we’re going to see record breaking ticket prices."

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Persons: Lionel Messi's, clamoured, Messi's, Cruz Azul, Kyle Zorn, Messi, Zorn, Rory Carroll, Toby Davis Organizations: South, Inter Miami, Major League Soccer, Cruz, Leagues Cup, Reuters, Inter, New York Red Bulls, Thomson Locations: South Beach, Argentine, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Southern California, Los Angeles