Seven-time Ballon d’Or winner makes dream start for David Beckham’s MLS side; with LeBron James, Serena Williams and more stars watching on former Barcelona and Paris St-Germain star converted injury-time set-piece to seal 2-1 win.
Lionel Messi began his Inter Miami career with a bang as the Argentinian magician ended his debut with a stunning free-kick winner against Cruz Azul deep in stoppage time.
Seven months on from lifting the World Cup, the eyes of the footballing world were trained on Florida as the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner made his eagerly anticipated first appearance.
Messi’s Miami debut has been years in the making and proved well worth the wait.
“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.”
Watch the goal in the video below:
