Friday’s League Cup matchup between Cruz Azul of Mexico and Inter Miami saw Lionel Messi make his competitive debut. To make an impression, he waited until the very last second.

Messi’s 94th-minute free kιck broke a 1-1 deadlock, giving Inter Miami a 2-1 victory at home. It was the perfect start for a tenure that Major League Soccer (MLS) believes would attract new attention to the developing league. In the 54th minute, Messi and his longtime partner Ricardo Busquets came on as substitutes.

The legendary player from FC Barcelona joined Inter Miami last week and made a soggy debut, but the true start was on the field, where he has dominated for the majority of two decades. Despite a purportedly enormous offer from Saudi Arabia and enticements from his former Barcelona team, Messi decided to sign with MLS.

After Argentina’s victory at the 2022 World Cup last winter, Messi moved to Inter Miami a few months later. This was the most cathartic victory of his career. Expectations are still high even though he may not be the offensιve powerhouse he once was.

With 10 La Liga championships, four Champions League victories with Barcelona, and a distinguished international career, Messi continues to hold the record for most Ballon d’Or wins (7 times) in history. Inter Miami, who has been mired in last place this season with a 5-3-14 record, will stand in stark contrast to that.

Previously, Messi represented Paris Saint-Germain in France, where he was a member of the most well-known ɑssault in the world with Kylian Mbappé and Neymar. In such a situation, his goal production significantly decreased, and following an unapproved trip to Saudi Arabia, the club controversially suspended Messi.