A former Inter Miami striker has denied social media speculation that he was released by the MLS team so superstar Lionel Messi could take his shirt number.
Costa Rican international Ariel Lassiter departed DRV PNK Stadium for current club CF Montréal as a part of a swap deal that saw Kamal Miller move the other way in April. However, following the announcement that World Cup winner Messi would be signing for the Herons, social media users had speculated that the forward was moved on to accommodate the arrival of the iconic star.
The rumours stemmed from a post which was published on Twitter which was accompanied by a picture of Lassiter, alongside a caption that falsely suggested that the 28-year-old was unwilling to give up his shirt number in favour of the Argentinian winger. It read: "Apparently this guy didn't want to give away his number 10 shirt to Messi so the club terminated his contract."
However, these claims simply have no basis in fact, with Twitter Community Notes soon adding some much needed context to these assertions. After the post received over 50,000 likes, users having resolved to clear up the matter by pointing out that Lassiter had, in fact, wore the number 11 for the South Beach club and had left the club in April.
In addition, the player himself was happy to clear up the matter, directly replying to the tweet in order to add some further context to the falsehoods. He jokingly replied: "Guys I was #11 but I’ll sacrifice so others can enjoy the greatness."
Clearly, therefore, the matter is now closed, with the arrival of Messi in Vice City fast approaching as he enters the final days of his Paris Saint-Germain contract. The 35-year-old world star is expected to officially sign for Inter Miami at the beginning of the month, with his debut slated to take place against Cruz Azul on July 21 in the Leagues Cup.
With major fanfare surrounding his impending transfer to MLS, it is unsurprising that tickets to see the legendary forward in action have sold out at all away grounds he is due to play at across the US. The superstar will likely receive fanfare usually reserved for music and film stars as he travels around the country in the coming months.
Speaking to ESPN, Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas has predicted that the deal will have a transformative impact stateside, saying: "I think there will always be a 'before and after [Lionel] Messi' when we talk about the sport in the United States.
"I cannot overemphasise the magnitude of this announcement. Having the world's greatest player here is something that is significant for our league, and for the football ecosystem in the United States.
"Lionel Messi is coming to this country to win cups and make a difference. I think it's incumbent upon myself and my partners in the league, the other owners, to seize the moment."
