"Messi keeps gifting his penalties" - Fans hail 'unselfish' Lionel Messi as Inter Miami take early lead through Josef Martinez penalty

Fans are praising Lionel Messi for letting Josef Martinez take a penalty for Inter Miami, which put the Herons ahead against Charlotte FC on Friday (August 11).

The two MLS clubs are clashing in the quarterfinals of the Leagues Cup at DRV PNK Stadium. The hosts won a penalty in the tenth minute after Dixon Arroyo went down in the visitors' box.

It would usually be Messi who steps up to take the spot-kick given his extraordinary record from the spot. However, the Argentine icon decided to hand the responsibility once again to Martinez.

Messi also allowed the Venezuelan forward to take a penalty in the Herons' 3-1 win against Orlando City in the Round of 32. The iconic forward could have scored a hat-trick on that occasion had he netted the spot-kick, as he had scored a brace.

It has been an incredible start to life in the MLS for the Argentine, and he's sharing the fun with his teammates old and new. He has bagged seven goals in four games and is eyeing more against a Charlotte side struggling to deal with his creativity.

However, it's Messi's humility in handing Martinez the opening penalty that has received plaudits from fans. One fan tweeted:

"Messi is so unselfish."

Another fan chimed in:

"Messi keeps gifting his penalties."

Here's how Twitter reacted to Messi giving another penalty to his Inter Miami teammate:

Fans on Messi handing Martinez the penalty kick.

Martinez converted the spot-kick with aplomb.

Miami eventually won 4-0, with Messi scoring in the 86th minute, to reach the semifinal.

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Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas details Lionel Messi's commercial impact

Jorge Mas (right) hails Lionel Messi's commercial influence.

Lionel Messi hasn't only made an impact from a sporting aspect but also commercially, as he has helped lure in viewers from across the globe.

Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas alluded to that when heaping praise on the Argentine's arrival at DRV PNK Stadium, tweeting:

"The Messi Effect is real! Subscribers to #MLSSeasonPass on @AppleTV have more than doubled since Messi joined @InterMiamiCF."

Mas added that Spanish viewership has also increased following Messi's mesmerising start to his Miami career:

“Also, Spanish language viewership on #MLSSeasonPass on @AppleTV has surpassed over 50% for Messi matches and continues to rise. How exciting for a truly global fan base!”

Fans follow Lionel Messi wherever the 2022 FIFA World Cup winner goes, and it's no surprise they are doing so during his Inter Miami spell. Even the difference in time zones isn't stopping the Argentine from drawing the attention of the world while in the United States.