Lionel Messi, a sports legend, has been named the official Icon of the Seas by the biggest cruise company in the world. At a naming ceremony in Miami, Messi, the ship’s icon, will greet the new vessel.

“I’m thrilled and honoured to join the Royal Caribbean family to celebrate the arrival of the game changing Icon of the Seas,” said Lionel Messi, Royal Caribbean International’s Icon of Icon. “Icon is beyond anything else that’s out there for family holidays, with incredible never-before-seen features, all designed for making memories together.”

Messi’s new position comes after it was recently revealed that Royal Caribbean and Inter Miami CF have formed an unusual alliance, with the cruise line serving as both the Club’s official holiday partner and its main partner. The next stage of the cooperation between Inter Miami CF and Royal Caribbean will also commemorate the arrival of Icon; specifics will be disclosed at a later time.

“Icon of the Seas is the culmination of more than 50 years of delivering memorable holidays, and it’s set to live up to its name in more ways than one when it changes the travel industry in January 2024,” said Michael Bayley, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean International.

“It’s that ability to make such a widespread impact and change the status quo that the Icon of Icon must personify, and Lionel Messi has proven to be the perfect example of that for years in the world of sports and most recently in introducing a new era of excitement and passion for fútbol in Miami and the U.S.”

Messi will attend Icon’s naming ceremony in Miami in January 2024, following a long-standing maritime custom. The new ship, her crew, and the millions of families who will make lifelong memories on board in the years to follow will have the honor of receiving safekeeping from The Icon of Icon.