Lionel Messi dazzled in his debut for Inter Miami in the MLS with a scintillating performance against the New York Red Bulls. Meanwhile, the record crowd of 26,276 supporters echoed their support for the Argentine throughout his time on the field. On this occasion, a Heron’s defender expressed his high regard for such a well-deserved gesture towards the Inter Miami star.
However, the fans had to be patient until the 60 minute to witness La Pulga make his MLS regular season debut at Red Bull Arena. Lionel Messi showed his finest class once again with his 11th goal for Inter Miami, which sealed the victory and ended Herons’ 11-game losing streak in the league. Meanwhile, the Canadian international of Inter Miami was ecstatic to see Lionel Messi’s emphatic performance and the raucous celebration of the host following his goal.
La Pulga’s teammate hails the crowd on his MLS debut
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Kamal Miller, the central back of Inter Miami, marveled at the sea of fans that had turned out to see Messi play in each of the games in the United States to date. The 26-year-old believed that the Argentine’s tremendous impact on soccer, along with the prodigious records in his decades-long career, deserved such admiration. Miller said during an interview, “It’s pretty surreal. He’s probably the only man in the world that deserves that type of respect.”
Kamal Miller on the cheers for Lionel Messi:
"It's pretty surreal, he's probably the only man in the world that deserves that type of respect…out of all the cities we have been to, this city (New York/New Jersey) has shown the most support."#Messi #InterMiamiCF #InterMiami… pic.twitter.com/AOpTegJqIX
— Favian Renkel (@FavianRenkel) August 27, 2023
Even though the 7-time Ballon d’Or winner was on the bench and watching the first half with the coach, he still received warm support from the home crowd. Fans chanted “We want Messi” that reverted throughout the Red Bull Arena before Mess marked his debut in the league against the Metro Stars. Additionally, Miller remarked, “Out of all the cities we have been to, this city (New York/New Jersey) has shown the most support.” Notably, the hype around Messi transcended beyond the stadium to the streets of New York during his MLS debut.
Read More: Minutes After MLS Debut, Lionel Messi Risks Punishment by Violating Major MLS Rule
Times Square lights up for Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi scored in the 89 minute of his debut match in MLS, helping Inter Miami to a 2-0 victory over The New York Red Bulls. The game was live-streamed on giant billboards that lit up Times Square, the heart of New York City. Soccer fans gathered in the streets to witness La Pulga’s on the giant screen despite their rivalry with Inter Miami. The crowd erupted into a cacophony of cheers as Lionel Messi fired the ball into the back of the net with an impressive goal.
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So far, the former Barcelona star Messi has scored 11 goals and registered six assists in nine appearances for Inter Miami across all competitions. Messi played a key role in setting up his goal while combining with Cremaschi and Alba to create a tap-in opportunity in the defensive third of the MetroStars. After losing 14 games and winning just 6 in the MLS, fans and the club were hopeful that Messi’s performances would help them improve their position in the league as the season commences.
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