Lionel Messi scores late winner on Inter Miami debut – watched by LeBron James, Kim Kardashian, Serena Williams
- MLS’ biggest ever signing scores last-gasp goal against Mexican club Cruz Azul to start his new chapter with a bang
- ‘As soon as I saw the free kick given, I thought, ‘This is the way it’s meant to end,’ club co-owner David Beckham says
Lionel Messi made a Hollywood start to his American adventure, scoring a last-second winner on his Inter Miami debut, as the likes of LeBron James, Kim Kardashian and Serena Williams looked on.
In the fourth minute of stoppage time against Mexican club Cruz Azul, after Uriel Antuna had cancelled out Robert Taylor’s opener for Miami, Messi won a free-kick just outside the box, in perfect range for his famous left foot.
The script had been written and Messi delivered his line perfectly.
The seven-times Ballon d’Or winner took a glance at the position of Cruz Azul goalkeeper Andres Gudino, then put his head down before curling his shot high to the keeper’s right and into the top corner to deliver a 2-1 triumph in the Leagues Cup clash.
The capacity 20,000 crowd at Miami’s DRV PNK Stadium late on Friday went wild, with some fans running on to the field before being apprehended by security. Smoke bombs in Miami’s trademark pink went off in the area behind the goal, occupied by the team’s most passionate supporters.
NBA great James, reality television star Kardashian and tennis legend Williams were among the stars who turned out.
Many fans had replica shirts bearing Messi’s name and No 10, others sported Messi masks and banners, and one wore a goat mask in a nod to Messi’s Greatest Of All Time status. Fireworks exploded as the match began.
“We wanted to start like this by giving these people a victory,” Messi said.
