By Ayobami Okerinde

Inter Miami coach, Tata Martino has named Lionel Messi as the new captain of the club.

The Argentine and World Cup winner joined the side after his contract expired at PSG.

In his first game for the club, against Liga MX’s Cruz Azul, Messi was handed the captain’s armband as he came on as a substitute.

The seven-time Ballon’d Or scored a late freekick to hand his new side a rare win.

Speaking at a press conference, Martino confirmed that Messi is now the new captain of the side.

“It is something habitual from him, and because it is habitual, we try to normalize things that are not common,” he said. “Even so, I think many of us started visualizing from the moment the foul was called that this could end the way it did.”

Messi will take over as captain from Brazil’s Gregore, who is currently out with a calf injury. Martino reunited with Messi after the pair once worked together at Barcelona between 2013 and 2014.