Lionel Messi has now bizarrely christened the world’s largest cruise ship – Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas – as he and his Inter Miami teammates showed off the team’s new away kit sponsor.
On Tuesday, Messi and his teammates attended a ceremony held by the world’s second-largest cruise line at the Port of Miami, where they took part in the naming of the new ship, which will formally set sail for the first time this weekend.
It is the world’s longest liner at 1,198 feet. But it did not happen without a cost of $2 billion, which financed the construction of 20 decks for a maximum capacity of 7,600 people and a weight of 250,800 gross tons.
Messi – a World Cup winner and eight-time Ballon d’Or winner – headlined the event, placing a football on top of a stand to ‘initiate’ the traditional smashing of a champagne bottle against the ship’s bow – something that is supposed to is used to bring good luck to the ship and its passengers.
The 36-year-old Argentinian later called it a ‘privilege’.
Lionel Messi will take part in the naming ceremony of the ‘Icon of the Seas’ in Miami on Tuesday
Messi shows off Miami’s new away kit sponsor Royal Caribbean with Luis Suarez and Jordi Alba
The Icon of the Seas, the largest cruise ship in the world with a height of 350 meters, is estimated to cost $2 billion
“It is a great honor for me and I know what it means for the city of Miami and the whole world,” Messi said in Spanish. ‘So I call this ship Icon of the Seas. God bless you and all those who sail with her.’
Michael Bayley, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean International, added: “We built the biggest and baddest ship in the world. It’s very exciting when you introduce a new class of ships, but it’s even more exciting when it really seems perfect.’
There is a range of entertainment options on board, including seven swimming pools, six water slides, the world’s largest waterfall, the tallest water slide and the largest water park at sea, the company said.
New concepts have also been introduced to the Bahamas-registered ship, including an ‘Aquadome’ – a diving and performance venue under a glass dome on top of the ship; a structural feature designed as a dynamic art installation on a main road, called ‘The Pearl’; an ice rink, called ‘Absolute Zero’; a family neighborhood called ‘Surfside’; a beach club with the first suspended infinity pool of any ship, called ‘The Hideaway’; the largest water park at sea, with six different slides, called ‘Thrill Island; and the largest swim-up bar on the sea, called ‘Swim & Tonic.’
Royal Caribbean’s ‘Icon of the Seas’ also features 20 decks and a maximum capacity of 7,600
The cruise ship has seven swimming pools and six water slides on board
The ship also has a structural feature designed as a dynamic art installation on the main access route, called ‘The Pearl’.
Passengers lounge in the Aquadome area of Icon of the Seas, a diving and performance venue under a glass dome on the top of the ship
An employee walks through the Central Park part of the ship, because it also has its own ‘family neighborhood’ called ‘Surfside’
Royal Caribbean claims the ship has the tallest waterfall, tallest water slide and largest water park at sea
Icon of the Seas is docked as it prepares for its maiden public voyage on January 27
At an earlier event in a theater on board the ship, Inter Miami showed off its new black kit for the 2024 season. Messi and his teammates removed pink zip-up sweatshirts to reveal the black jersey, trimmed in the team’s traditional pink with a Royal Caribbean logo on chest.
Messi and Inter Miami head to Saudi Arabia later this week and a pair of matches next week as part of their international preseason tour. First there is a match against Al-Hilal on January 29, and then on February 1 it is a match against Al Nassr – with Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi’s old rival.
But Ronaldo’s health is seriously in question. Al Nassr had a pair of matches due to be held in China from this week canceled due to what organizers called ‘physical issues’ for Ronaldo – reportedly a calf injury that could take two weeks to heal.
And that could mean that Ronaldo versus Messi won’t happen. At a press conference in China, Ronaldo apologized to fans and said injuries were something he had no control over.
Messi, formerly of PSG and Barcelona, hopes to play Cristiano Ronaldo next month but the Portuguese is in doubt about the friendly as concerns have been raised about the match
Messi and Ronaldo have faced each other 35 times between matches for club and country, with Messi’s teams winning 16, Ronaldo’s 10 and the other nine settling for a draw.
Messi has 21 goals and 12 assists in those matches; Ronaldo has twenty goals and one assist.
Inter Miami will also face the Hong Kong national team in a friendly in Hong Kong on February 4, before facing J1 league side Vissel Kobe in Japan on February 7.
Messi and Co. will then host the Argentina captain’s youth club team – Newell’s Old Boys – at home on February 15, before facing Real Salt Lake City again at home six days later in their first MLS match.