Lionel “Leo” Messi made his big debut at his new football club on Friday evening. Messi played with Inter Miami CF and it was a fairytale debut for the Argentinian legend and reigning World Cup champion. Messi ended up scoring the game-winning goal in the final moments of the game. The stadium was full of celebrities like Serena Williams, LeBron James, Kim Kardashian and David and Victoria Beckham.
Messi surprised a lot of people in June when he announced that his next job would be in America and not Saudi Arabia. The Saudis had offered him something like a $400 million contract, but apparently he didn’t want to live in the kingdom. David Beckham – who is a partner and co-owner of Inter Miami – worked with the Inter Miami bosses to make Messi a sweet deal. While the club cannot technically afford him, they gave him the freedom to make extremely lucrative side-deals with Adidas and AppleTV, and Messi is going to end up making hundreds of millions of dollars in America. Plus, he’ll get a deal similar to David Beckham’s – a slice of the Major League Soccer pie, an eventual partnership with Inter Miami and an opportunity to grow the sport in the world’s most lucrative market, America.
One look at David Beckham’s face after Messi won the game showed how much all of this has meant to the sport and to Beckham himself. David was the pioneer, coming to America to play soccer when he could have stayed in Europe and been a big fish in a small pond. Beckham just saw his years of investment in American soccer pay off in a huge way in just one moment.
David Beckham shedding a tear of joy after that Leo Messi winner 😭♥️ pic.twitter.com/WHr4dUiGqj
— Sara 🦋 (@SaraFCBi) July 22, 2023
Serena Williams was in shock😂 pic.twitter.com/qXw1njG9wn
— Culers Media (@lewyball) July 22, 2023
Lionel Messi to LeBron James on IG: pic.twitter.com/KTPMPEJkpR
— 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐋𝐄𝐒 (@ChaaliiyKay) July 22, 2023
Photos courtesy of Cover Images.
-
- Lionel Messi of Inter Miami CF watched by A List celebrities makes his debut today where he went on to score the winning goal in a League Cup match against against Cruz Azul at DRV PNK Stadium. Featuring: Lionel Messi of Inter Miami CF Where: Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States When: 21 Jul 2023 Credit: Robert Bell/INSTARimages
-
- Lionel Messi of Inter Miami CF watched by A List celebrities makes his debut today where he went on to score the winning goal in a League Cup match against against Cruz Azul at DRV PNK Stadium. Featuring: Serena Williams and husband Alexis Ohanian Where: Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States When: 21 Jul 2023 Credit: Robert Bell/INSTARimages
-
- Lionel Messi of Inter Miami CF watched by A List celebrities makes his debut today where he went on to score the winning goal in a League Cup match against against Cruz Azul at DRV PNK Stadium. Featuring: David Beckham and Victoria Beckham Where: Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States When: 21 Jul 2023 Credit: Robert Bell/INSTARimages
-
- Lionel Messi of Inter Miami CF watched by A List celebrities makes his debut today where he went on to score the winning goal in a League Cup match against against Cruz Azul at DRV PNK Stadium. Featuring: David Beckham, Victoria Beckham and Harper Beckham Where: Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States When: 21 Jul 2023 Credit: Robert Bell/INSTARimages
-
- Lionel Messi of Inter Miami CF watched by A List celebrities makes his debut today where he went on to score the winning goal in a League Cup match against against Cruz Azul at DRV PNK Stadium. Featuring: Lebron James Where: Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States When: 21 Jul 2023 Credit: Robert Bell/INSTARimages
He sure did. It was amazing to watch.
I’m not surprised that he scored on his debut he’s a still far superior than most of the players in the MLS.
Indeed. He’s in a totally different league.
Yes! It’s so weird watching a top 1% player in basically an elementary school level team. Not trying to insult Miami, but he’s just elite.
I’m not a big reader of celebrity gossip but it reached even me that his wife did not want to live in Saudi Arabia. If that was a pivotal part of his decision I love that irony for the kingdom
I wonder if there is a ‘separate’ life for the rich and elite in Saudi.
There absolutely is. I love how he said no anyway.
There absolutely is. But my understanding is that his wife did not want to live there and did not want their (school aged) kids living there. At all. For any amount of money. They have known each other since they were little kids and have been together since they were in their early 20s. If she didn’t want to go, they were not going.
My son on was going on and on about this. My biggest takeaway of that their uniforms are pink. More sports teams should wear pink.
That’s me, too! Soccer is a lot of running, little scoring, ho hum. But pink uniforms! Fabulous!
Yesss! lots of Messi Argentinan Barbie memes out there due to the pink uniform. Good for him! Enjoying life and building what looks to be an interesting project, working on the development fo the sport he loves so much in such an important sports hub like the US. Big latino population ho already love football/soccer and bringing the game to other demographics woot woot!
Alright, I admit I loved Victoria’s expression when David turns to her just before they hug.
Beckham and messi cannot be compared. This is far bigger. Messi is a GOAT, Beckham was good but never In that league. Also by the time he played In america he had declined. Messi though just won the world cup and would still walk any top team In europe. Hes getting on though and probably needed that last Big pay day.
While I am ALWAYS excited when top European elite players move ro the US (especially Thierry Henry) this is not great for US soccer because it underscores how terrible men’s soccer is…when a player on the other side of greatness are the best players on the pitch.
” coming to America to play soccer when he could have stayed in Europe and been a big fish in a small pond.” David was already at the “end” of his career when he joined the MLS, and we can’t say that the level of MLS can be considered as a bigger pond for a big fish…
As for Messi, I think he will do great in MLS because the league is quite “easy” for him, even at 36. And it sure will be a better place than Paris for him and his family. It was really heart-breaking to see him cry when he left Barcelone.
This was a spectacular free-kick goal from a once-in-a-generation footballer. Messi even brought 2 former Barca stars to Inter Miami: Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba. The MLS will be even more lit.
I have to say that I loved the look on Victoria’s face when David turned to her right before they hugged.
“ when he could have stayed in Europe and been a big fish in a small pond” – I think it’s backwards. In the US Beckham became a big fish in a small pond, while in Europe he would continue to be outshined by more talented players.
I guess this is good for Messi to end his career, but it must be so disappointing to play in the US