Lionel Messi scores dramatic last-minute free kick in Inter Miami debut: Instant analysis
If you didn’t believe it before, believe it now: Lionel Messi is an MLS player. The Argentine World Cup winner made his debut for Inter Miami CF on Friday night, playing just over 35 minutes and scoring a dramatic last-minute goal off a free kick in a 2-1 win against Cruz Azul in both teams’ Leagues Cup opener in front of a sold-out and raucous DRV PNK Stadium.
Messi’s introduction can now take its place alongside other seminal debuts of global soccer stars in the U.S. club game, namely those of Pele for the New York Cosmos in 1975 and David Beckham for the LA Galaxy in 2007.
Beckham is now Inter Miami co-owner, and was in attendance on Friday night along with seemingly countless other global celebrities from the world of sports, music, film and more.
Paul Tenorio, Tom Bogert, and Jeff Rueter have thoughts and analysis on a historic night in South Florida.
In the final seconds of the game, Lionel Messi drew a foul about 25 yards from goal.
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The crowd stood and cheered immediately because everyone knew what it meant at that moment: regulation for this game would essentially end with Messi taking a free kick from one of the most dangerous places on the field.
The “Messi” chants came out immediately. Fans who were starting to head for the exits — not realizing there would be a penalty shootout if the game ended in a tie — stopped near the exits to watch the moment.
And Messi delivered.
LIONEL ANDRÉS MESSI IS NOT HUMAN. pic.twitter.com/2mBDI41mLy
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) July 22, 2023
The free kick was exactly 24.2 yards out from goal. The expected goals (xG) from that spot: 0.08. But it was Messi, so how could any stat really quantify it?
Messi approached the ball, swung his magical left foot and the crowd
Read on theathletic.com
