Expert examines Lionel Messi's body language during Inter Miami unveiling | OneFootball

After much anticipation, Lionel Messi was finally unveiled as an Inter Miami player on Sunday evening.

The 36-year-old was pictured beaming as he soaked in the adulation of a packed crowd at the DRV PNK Stadium, but one expert has claimed that the player may not have been quite as happy as he seemed.

Messi turned down a mega-money approach from the Saudi Pro League in order to make the move to the MLS - where he has become the biggest signing since Inter Miami owner David Beckham joined LA Galaxy in 2007.

The move marks the end of a glorious run in European football for the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner.

17 successful years as part of the Barcelona first team were then followed by two seasons with French side Paris Saint-Germain.

Messi ended up with quite the trophy haul during his time on the continent, winning 10 La Liga titles and 4 Champions Leagues (with Barcelona), before claiming a pair of Ligue 1 championships at PSG.

The most-treasured medal in Messi's collection, however, will surely be the one he picked up after guiding Argentina to victory at the 2022 World Cup.

For all of his accolades, though, Messi still appeared to be uncomfortable in front of the world's media in Miami over the weekend - at least according to Darren Stanton - a former detective and renowned body language expert.

Per the Daily Star, Stanton said: “There are a few gestures which Messi leaked straight off the bat."

Adding some context, he continued: “One was when he started rubbing the back of his neck, which is a pacifying gesture. This is a gesture you do to give yourself reassurance when you’re not feeling completely confident in what you’re saying."

Stanton has previously been labelled as 'the Human Lie Detector', and was not overly convinced the star was giving an accurate representation of his feelings during the moment.

Perhaps an issue with public speaking, the expert added: “Straight away, he was flashing signs of fear, because he’s not that comfortable or confident talking in front of such a large number of people, so he probably feels out of his depth.”

Stanton claimed: “I feel that he was displaying a fake smile. In this context, he’s actually fashioning a fake smile because he feels like a fish out of water."

You can check out footage of Messi on stage during the unveiling below.

When will fans be able to see Messi play his first Inter Miami game?

The attention from around the world is only going to become bigger when Messi first steps foot on the pitch for his new side.

Record numbers are expected to tune in when Messi makes his debut for Inter Miami against Cruz Azul in the 2023 Leagues Cup on Friday evening.

Tickets for his first appearance are currently listed at a whopping £84,000 on the resale market - a simply incredible sum given that he's unlikely to play the full match.

The Leagues Cup is the annual tournament contested between MLS and Mexico's league, LIGA MX. It runs until August 19 - at which point the MLS regular season will resume.

Messi official MLS debut could come the following day when Inter Miami host Charlotte. That match - like every other fixture that has the potential to involve the Barcelona icon - has been sold out for weeks.