Lionel Messi's unveiling was nearly upstaged by lightning, torrential rain and a David Beckham slip

The official timeline for 'La PresentaSÍon' promised the action would start around 6.30pm in Fort Lauderdale. They got that bit right. It was slated to take place in center field. Instead it came in the skies above DRV PNK Stadium: a flash of light and then a boom which jolted the foundations of this temporary ground.

At least Inter Miami can always say the Lionel Messi era began with a bang. It's just a shame that, for a while, the fireworks and festivities fell victim to thunder and lightning and black clouds and swirling rain.

They have had record temperatures here in recent days and the mood around Inter Miami has been approaching fever pitch, too. For much of Sunday night, however, the stage erected on the halfway line glistened not with football's biggest star but with the debris of a tropical storm that threatened to rain on the biggest parade in MLS history.

Pity the poor staff whose job involved mopping the runway, even while the heavens remained open. But eventually, around 8.30pm, this stadium fell dark again and the skies of South Florida were alight and crackling once more. Thankfully, these fireworks were part of the show.

Rain still fell in Fort Lauderdale but the stands were packed and the first cries of 'Messi, Messi' rang out.

They had been waiting six weeks for this night, since the World Cup winner announced his move to Florida.

When it finally rolled round, they had to wait some more. They had to wait for co-owners David Beckham and Jorge Mas to shuffle along the wet platform – Beckham came perilously close to a slip – and say their bit. They had to wait for fellow new boy Sergio Busquets to be given the briefest unveiling.

But, eventually, shortly before 9pm, Messi – 'your No 10, Miami's No 10, America's