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Lionel Messi scored a sensational late free-kick in his debut game for Inter Miami CF against Cruz Azul in the Leagues Cup on Friday, July 21.
The Argentine ace moved to the MLS as a free agent after parting ways with Paris Saint-Germain upon the expiration of his contract. His arrival is expected to bring a big viewership to football in the US, and he showed why in his first game.
Inter Miami faced Cruz Azul at the DRV PNK Stadium in the Leagues Cup on Friday. They took the lead via Robert Taylor in the 44th minute, but Uriel Antuna restored parity in the 65th minute. Lionel Messi came on as a substitute for Benjamin Cremaschi in the 54th minute.
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The MLS side received a free-kick outside the box in a central position late on. The Argentine, who also donned the captain's armband, took the responsibility upon himself. He dispatched it brilliantly towards the right side of Cruz goalkeeper Andres Gudino to win the game for his new side.
Watch Lionel Messi's free-kick against Cruz Azul below:
After the game, Messi humbly reflected on his brilliant goal, saying (via Barca Universal):
"Last minute winning-goal? Well, I tried this free-kick shot, as I always do. I was lucky that it was a goal. I am very happy."
Inter Miami next face Atlanta United on Tuesday (July 25).
What Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas said about signing Lionel Messi?
With his departure from PSG imminent, Lionel Messi had three options for his next move. He had a big offer from Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal while Barcelona were also attempting to bring him back to the club.
The Argentine ace chose to move to the MLS instead in what's deemed to be a big move for the league. The US is set to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup along with Canada and Mexico. Messi's arrival is expected to bring in a huge international audience to the sport in the country.
Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas reflected on this and said about the 36-year-old's potential impact (via The Athletic):
“We have (already) succeeded. Expectations is something else, but we’ve succeeded. The fact that Lionel Messi is here, that Sergio Busquets is here and others are going to come, that we’ve opened new chapters for the sport in this country. We’ve succeeded.”
Messi has been joined by his former Barcelona teammates Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, who left the Blaugrana on free transfers earlier this summer.
