Lionel Andrés Messi Cuccittini played for Barcelona between 2004 and 2021. The following two seasons he moved away from the coast: he lived in Paris to play for PSG. He is currently close to the sea again, since this year he plays for Inter Miami and lives facing the ocean in Florida, one of the areas in the world with the most activity in the leisure sailing sector.
Even living and working 7,500 kilometers away, the Argentine continues to be closely linked to the city in which he grew up. It will be in Barcelona, during the International Boat Show being held this week, where his new project will be presented: a luxury catamaran rental company inspired by his hotel group. In fact, they both share a name: MIM, after Messi and Majestic.
MIM Ocean will start with three Bali 5.4 units from the French Catana shipyards. This maritime group specializes in luxury vessels, has more than 40 years of experience and headquarters in France, Portugal and Tunisia. There he exclusively builds catamarans. The 5.4 model carries that figure because it has a length of 54 feet, equivalent to 16 meters from bow to stern. This is a length that may seem less than expected for a good yacht, although it is quite a surprise when you embark on it, because having a double hull, it is much more stable than conventional sailboats. In addition, she has large living spaces, a high level of comfort and good sailing performance.
The first two units in this new operator's fleet have capacity for between 10 and 11 guests in four double cabins and one triple cabin. The third unit has already been configured with only four double rooms and one of them is much larger: a large owner-type cabin. For the interior decoration, a design has been chosen with an approach that combines luxury with functionality and comfort. This will allow guests to enjoy large rest areas, comfortable cabins, and a living room, which is also a dining room, elegant and bright. Outside, an upper deck offers solarium spaces, outdoor entertainment areas to enjoy the sun, the views and to enjoy sports activities when at anchor.
The former Barça player and world champion with his national team entered the hotel world with the Majestic group. From this union come the two emes of the brand: for its surname and for the Barcelona company that is in charge of managing the six establishments it owns. Four are facing the sea, in Eivissa, Mallorca, Sitges and Sotogrande, Cádiz. Two are located in the mountains: Baqueira and Andorra. The group is expanding and will possibly go beyond six hotels, although any expansion is being carried out very quietly.
In the same way, the landing of Argentine interests in the maritime world was carried out with great reserve. It was already known that during the summers in Ibiza, Messi and his family rented a yacht to enjoy the Balearic Islands in peace. Now, with the help of Med Cat Yachts, based in Port Ginesta, south of Barcelona, it is launching the rental of pleasure boats for third parties, who on their voyages will always be pampered and helped by a crew of three members to have a personalized experience, contacting future guests in advance and designing entertainment activities and menus for them with their preferences, with the aim that on-board experiences are 100% personalized.
To start this maritime project, the intention is that in the already long European summers the catamarans will be based in the Balearic Islands, with a series of pre-established navigations around the islands, while in winter, the boats will be transferred to the Caribbean to navigate the islands of that sea and be closer to the owner of this new adventure of the footballer with interests in the hotel industry and who is now also the owner of, for the moment, three catamarans that show the image of the 10 on their genoa, the bow sail.
