The Messi Experience Will Debut in Miami in 2024

Millions of people around the world would love to meet Lionel Messi. They'd give anything to converse with the Argentinian soccer icon or get a selfie. But the reality is most will never have that privilege. And even if they were lucky enough to be in the same vicinity as Messi, have you seen his bodyguard in action?

Primo Entertainment and Moment Factory are fully aware of Messi-mania, so they've teamed up with Messi on an interactive exhibit that lets you get up close and personal with the Inter Miami CF star — sort of.

The Messi Experience: A Dream Come True will kick off its world tour in Messi's adopted home of Miami, running from April 25, 2024, through June 30, 2024. Tickets are currently on sale.

The immersive experience coming to the Hangar at Regatta Harbour in Coconut Grove will allow fans to speak with Messi using advanced artificial intelligence and take a selfie with a virtual Messi using face tracking tech. It's obviously not the same thing as meeting the man himself, but it beats taking your chances with his chiseled security guard.

"I am thrilled to be part of this project that allows fans to get closer to my journey on and off the field," Messi said in a statement. "Throughout my career, I have always strived to inspire and connect with people through my passion for soccer. This experience will offer a unique opportunity to relive the most memorable moments and feel the emotions shaping my path."

The Messi Experience will offer ten of what it calls physical and digital experiences. Besides "interacting" with Messi, fans will get a front-row seat to his training regimen and participate in games where they can test their footy skills.

They can also learn about his life on and off the field, from his childhood in Argentina to his 2022 World Cup victory to his unforgettable visit to a South Florida Publix to buy Lucky Charms. (Okay, maybe that last part isn't included in the exhibit.)

As has become the growing trend in the immersive experience world, the Messi Experience will be using state-of-the-art technology to tell the Messi story. The exhibit's website promises 360-degree projection mapping, 3D visuals, and the aforementioned AI.

Miami is flooded with all sorts of immersive experiences. Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience debuted in 2021 and continues to draw viewers at the Olympia Theater; the Little Prince World, based on the classic children's book, recently opened on Watson Island; and the Friends Experience opened at Aventura Mall.

Primo Entertainment has plenty of experience with the genre. The Miami-based company was behind Beyond Van Gogh, Beyond Monet, Frida Kahlo: the Life of an Icon, and Space Adventure, all of which made stops in Miami.

"This [Messi Experience] will be 75 minutes of inspiration, emotion, entertainment, and fun for everyone to enjoy," said Primo Entertainment cofounders Andres Naftali and David Rosenfeld in a statement.

Messi joined Inter Miami in July after signing a two-and-a-half-year contract that pays him $20.4 million per season, according to the MLS Players Association. He led the Herons to a Leagues Cup tournament title in August, but a hamstring injury prevented him from guiding the club to the MLS playoffs.

The yet-to-be-announced 2024 MLS season will likely begin in late February or early March. Due to the high demand to see Messi play, Inter Miami season tickets, in most cases, have doubled in price.

The Messi Experience. Thursday, April 25, through Sunday, June 30, 2024, at the Hangar at Regatta Harbour, 3385 Pan American Dr., Coconut Grove; themessiexperience.com. Tickets start at $29.90 to $49.90 via feverup.com.