Lionel Messi’s move to Inter Miami has sent shockwaves through the world of soccer here in the United States. Millions of fans looked on as the superstar made his debut for the Major League Soccer club on Friday. Celebrities packed DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale to watch Messi enter the game as a substitute. While he may not have started the match, the Argentine would score a dramatic goal in the final moments to give Miami the victory.

As interest in the star is still on the rise, it is becoming difficult to purchase official Messi merchandise. In fact, fan demand back ordered replica Messi Adidas jerseys on the MLS website. Fans can add the $125 shirt to their cart and purchase the item, but they will not receive the jersey for some time.

Messi Inter Miami jerseys not expected to ship until Fall

According to the website and Adidas officials, these shirts may not ship until mid-October. Inter’s last regular season MLS game is on Oct. 21.

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“Demand for the jersey has been truly unprecedented,” an Adidas spokesperson recently informed the media. “I’ve been with the brand for a long time and I’ve never seen our brand mobilize around a project across so many functions to bring product to market so quickly.”

Adidas working to accelerate manufacturing of jerseys

Soccer.com’s Billy Lalor has claimed that Adidas is essentially expediting the manufacturing process. The exec states that it would normally take six months to produce the Messi jerseys and have them ready for sale. However, the German athletic apparel company is hoping to have the shirts ready in half the time.

“The backorder situation is a result of the time needed to meet demand that is 25 times greater than it otherwise would have been had Messi not moved to Inter Miami,” Lalor explained to Front Office Sports.

The $195 authentic Messi jerseys are in a similar situation as well. Adidas has, however, created t-shirts with the superstar’s name and number for just $35. These are currently available to ship towards the end of July.

PHOTO: IMAGO / Icon Sportswire

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