Lionel Messi delivers a stunning game-winner in his Inter Miami debut
Lionel Messi made his debut for MLS side Inter Miami CF on Friday night, coming on in the 54th minute to a raucous ovation from the capacity crowd DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale.
It did not take him too much longer to deliver his first magical moment.
Messi scored on a fantastic free kick in the 94th minute to give Miami a 2-1 victory over Cruz Azul in the Leagues Cup. After the legendary goal scorer put a shot in the upper-left corner of the net, he wheeled away in celebration before finding his family:
El primer gol de Messi con Inter Miami
Messi scores in his first match with the club to give us the lead in the 94th minute. pic.twitter.com/pI7bYjEK63
— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) July 22, 2023
The free kick golazo would go down as the final play of the match.
Messi signed a deal with Miami for over two years, worth between $50 million and $60 million annually. But this was the kind of moment the club’s owners had in mind when making the investment, a stunning goal in front of a sell-out crowd.
However, it will be hard to top a moment like this: A storybook introduction to Miami, and their fans.