PICTURE SPECIAL: David Beckham made his LA Galaxy debut 16 years ago today (and now it's Lionel Messi's turn tonight!)
Lionel Messi is set to make his Inter Miami debut on Friday night - and July 21 also marks 16 years to the day since David Beckham made his own Stateside debut for LA Galaxy.
It is a nice coincidence that the first matches for two of football's biggest icons both came about on the same day in the seventh month - Beckham in a friendly against Chelsea, and Messi facing Cruz Azul in MLS Leagues Cup.
When Beckham went to LA in 2007, he paved the way for a new era of football in the United States. He had just left Real Madrid after four years, and was also a Manchester United and England icon.
The USA went mad for the arrival of Beckham 16 years ago, as he changed the face of the game Stateside - and now it has come full circle, with the Englishman one of the co-owners of Inter Miami, who have brought World Cup winner Messi to MLS.
While the Argentine is thrown into competitive action straight away, Beckham's first opponent in an LA Galaxy shirt was a more recognizable foe - Premier League side Chelsea.
The midfielder's move to LA Galaxy was confirmed in January, but it wasn't until the LaLiga season finished that he was able to up sticks from Madrid and travel across the Atlantic.
Despite picking up an ankle injury representing Los Blancos, he was able to come on in the 78th minute of the match against Chelsea, played as part of the World Series of Soccer.
Replacing American forward Alan Gordon, Beckham came on in front of a 27,000-capacity crowd at the Home Depot Center, including a number of Hollywood celebrity faces.
Chelsea won the match 1-0, courtesy of John Terry's 49th minute goal, but it will be far better remembered for being the moment that a football icon graced America for the first time in ages - and paved the way for
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