Good things always come in threes. After two former Barcelona icons in Lionel Messi and Sergio Busquets were unveiled as Inter Miami CF players last Sunday, the team has announced the arrival of Jordi Alba.
The legendary left-back has signed a contract as a Designated Player through the 2025 season with The Herons, and becomes the latest international star to join the team led by David Beckham.
Alba’s trophy cabinet speaks for itself - in over a decade with the Catalans, he has won six league titles, the Copa del Rey five times, and the Champions League in 2015. He has been a fixture on the left flank at Camp Nou, racking up 459 appearances with the team.
On the international stage, he was part of the Spain squad that won the European Championships in 2012. The 34-year-old, who is closing in on a century of caps with La Roja, was also appointed captain this year. His time as skipper has been a success so far, with Spain lifting the Nations League title in June after beating Croatia in the final.
Another Barcelona man crosses the pond
Alba’s story is one of perseverance, having been released by Barcelona while still in the youth ranks. He bounced back at Valencia, where he emerged as one of Spanish football’s brightest talents, before earning a move back to his formative club in 2012. His pace, technical proficiency and tireless tackling helped him carve out a place in the star-studded Barcelona lineups.
While he’ll be linking up again with his former teammates in Messi and Busquets, Alba also becomes the latest in a long line of former Blaugrana players to try their luck in North American Soccer. The likes of Thierry Henry, Ronaldinho, and David Villa all left their mark on **MLS** after previously turning out for Barcelona. Alba will be hoping to emulate them and have an instant impact in Florida this season.
A Leagues Cup debut?
The full-back arrives just as Inter Miami are due to kick off their Leagues Cup 2023 campaign, with the team hosting 2019 champions Cruz Azul on Friday night at DRV PNK Stadium. The game will be the first match-up in the South 3 group, which also includes Atlanta United FC.
Although Alba will be unable to join Messi and Busquets in taking on the Mexican outfit, he is expected to make his debut on July 26 against Atlanta, where a spot in the competition’s knockout stages will already be on the line.
