Lionel Messi, the revered Argentinian football icon, kicked off his Inter Miami career in spectacular fashion with a breathtaking free-kick winner against Cruz Azul in a thrilling Leagues Cup match.
The highly anticipated debut of the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner drew global attention as fans eagerly awaited Messi’s first appearance on the field for Inter Miami.
After seven months since lifting the World Cup, Messi’s arrival at DRV PNK Stadium was a momentous occasion, years in the making, and the footballing world was captivated.
The game saw an exhilarating display of talent, with Robert Taylor opening the scoring brilliantly for Inter Miami, only to be met with a response from Cruz Azul’s Uriel Antuna.
As the match entered stoppage time, with the score level at 1-1, Messi rose to the occasion with a mesmerizing free-kick goal that sent the stadium into a frenzy and secured a memorable 2-1 victory for Inter Miami.
“What I saw was the goal,” Messi said in an on-field interview amid the post-game celebrations. “I saw the goal. I knew that I had to score.
“It was the last play of the game and I wanted to score so I didn’t go to penalties.”
Inter Miami head coach Tata Martino, who managed Messi at Barcelona, said: “It’s a movie that we have seen before.”
Noche soñada 🤩🤩🤩 pic.twitter.com/60blZbZSSX
— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) July 22, 2023
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