Fans have been eagerly waiting to dress like Lionel Messi since he arrived in the United States to play for Inter Miami.
However, they will have to wait until mid-October – when the Major League Soccer season ends – to buy an authentic Inter Miami jersey bearing Messi’s name.
A statement released by Adidas, the company that manufactures the jersey, said demand for the $160 shirt was “truly unprecedented”.
Many sellers, including the official online store of MLS, have told buyers they should wait until mid-October.
An adidas spokesperson said, “We are working as quickly as possible to make sure that every fan who wants a jersey can find it online or in one of our stores.”
An online retailer said it sold six months’ worth of generic Inter Miami jerseys in one day after news broke of Messi’s arrival in the US.
“After that, adidas enabled us to place a new order to ramp up production,” said Billy Lalor, senior director of Soccer.com, as CNN quoted him as saying.
“Whereas it typically takes six months for a factory order to pass through the supply chain and reach the market, adidas is doing so in half that time.”
Adidas also had to deal with the same problem after Argentina won its first FIFA World Cup last year. The company sold the kit globally.
Messi left Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and announced that he is joining hands with David Beckham’s Major League Soccer side Inter Miami.
The club also confirmed Messi would join, adding that the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner and World Cup champion has signed a contract that will run until the 2025 Major League Soccer (MLS) season.
“I am honored to welcome Leo Messi and his family to their new home,” said Jorge Maas, Inter Miami CF’s Managing Owner.
