Jordi Alba's Ambitions at Inter Miami

 Jordi Alba's Ambitions at Inter Miami

Jordi Alba's Ambitions at Inter Miami(Image-Getty)

After recently arriving in South Florida and undergoing initial training sessions with his new team, Jordi Alba is quickly immersing himself in the world of MLS and Inter Miami. In his first interview with reporters on Tuesday, a day before Inter Miami's Leagues Cup Round of 32 match against Orlando City at DRV PNK Stadium, the Spanish fullback expressed his ambitions with his new club.

When asked about what he wants to achieve with Miami, Alba replied in Spanish, sporting a smile as he sat alongside head coach Gerardo "Tata" Martino, "Whatever tournaments we play in. For years, I have been fortunate to win everything with Barcelona and almost everything with the Spanish national team. But this project is very interesting for me. I'm here to compete, to win, to play the best possible way, to take care of myself. I'm a very competitive player, and this project feels like a family to me. That's why I made the decision to come here. There is solid, hard work behind it... the team, the coaching staff, the club executives – I've only been here for a few days, but it already feels like home."

After an illustrious 11-year career at Barcelona, where he developed a deep bond with fellow Inter Miami players Lionel Messi and Sergio Busquets, Alba is now eager to embark on the next chapter of his career and may make his debut for the team on Wednesday.

He expressed his excitement about reuniting with Messi and Busquets but also highlighted the overall quality of the team, saying, "Yes, I'm very happy to be together with Busi and Leo again. But it's not only the three of us; there are many other very talented players in the team. They have shown their quality, and we are here to win as many games as possible. We're fortunate to have trained under Coach Tata before, so we know him, and he knows us well. We'll try to help our teammates, learn from them, and use their experience in this league. I'm very happy about this challenge and thrilled to get started."

With the trio of Barcelona alumni now together at Inter Miami, the team has gained a significant boost in technical excellence and elite soccer IQ. Coach Martino's task is to seamlessly incorporate their talents into the squad.

Martino acknowledged the potential impact of these players, especially on the younger members of the team, saying, "It is important to see how they are adapting themselves to the fact of playing with these three footballers of this caliber, who played for a team that – in my opinion – changed the game of soccer, and they were key players in that team. This could be a heavy weight for these players, especially the younger players, or they can take advantage of this and grow next to the three of them. What we have seen is that they are growing. They are not in the shadows of the three players. No, they're willing to thrive and to grow and to learn with these three guys and their experience."

Regarding Alba's potential debut, Martino didn't explicitly confirm whether he would be playing against Orlando City. Still, he praised Alba's individual work during his personal preseason in Spain while waiting for the transfer to be finalized. Alba also recently became a father for the third time, welcoming his son Paolo into the world.

Now, Alba must adapt to the heat and humidity of Florida's midsummer as Inter Miami aims to make a strong comeback in the final months of the 2023 season.

As for his decision to join Inter Miami, Alba clarified that money was not the primary factor. While he had other offers on the table with more lucrative financial terms, he chose Miami because he felt valued by the club and trusted Coach Martino, who previously managed him at Barcelona in the 2013-2014 season. He found the project in Miami to be exciting and appreciated the enthusiasm the club had for his arrival.

Alba also shared his thoughts on his longtime friend Messi, who he believes has found a new equilibrium after leading Argentina to a World Cup title last fall. Alba stated, "Now he's facing a new challenge, that is to play in Miami, and we're here to help him, the entire team, and the staff. There is a great atmosphere. He's feeling well, he's feeling loved. That's very important. He has won everything, yeah, and more. But he's still willing to compete, to win."

Overall, Alba's arrival at Inter Miami has brought excitement and high expectations for the team, as they look to capitalize on the talent and experience of their new additions and achieve success in the upcoming tournaments and matches.