Royal Caribbean has named the celebrated football player Lionel Messi as the official Icon of its upcoming ship, the Icon of the Seas, as per a press release.

Scheduled for launch in January 2024, Messi will be present in Miami to welcome the Icon and partake in the ship’s naming celebration, marking the debut of the world’s largest cruise vessel.

Messi’s association with the ship follows Royal Caribbean’s recent collaboration with Inter Miami CF, where the cruise line serves as the Club’s Main Partner and Official Vacation Partner. They also teased upcoming celebrations for the Icon’s arrival as part of their expanded partnership, with further details to be disclosed later.

“Icon of the Seas is the culmination of more than 50 years of delivering memorable vacations, and it’s set to live up to its name in more ways than one when it changes the vacation 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 football in Miami and the U.S.”

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

The Icon of the Seas will offer year-round Eastern or Western Caribbean voyages departing from Miami, with ports of call including Philipsburg, St. Maarten; Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico; Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas; and Royal Caribbean’s private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay.