Legendary LeBron James was present at Messi’s debut match at Inter Miami in July 2023. After the match, this superstar went to meet Messi and hugged the best player in football history to welcome him to America.
The Lakers player seems to have become more interested in soccer, since Messi came to MLS. He affirmed that the appearance of the 2022 World Cup champion is an important factor to inspire young fans in the US to play more football.
“Seeing Messi, a football legend, elevate MLS with his presence is a complete change for us,” he said in a conversation with ESPN. “His appearance not only elevates the tournament but also inspires a new generation of soccer fans in the US. To achieve achievements like Messi, athletes must strive tirelessly, Maintains ethics and has unparalleled natural talent. I respect and admire him.
Lionel Messi announced himself in Miami with a pin-point free-kick in added-time, leaving fellow sports royalty in awe and giving hope to MLS strugglers Inter Miami
LeBron James was in Miami to watch Lionel Messi and reacted to watching the football star on Twitter
LeBron James summed up watching Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami debut with one word after the legendary football star netted a late added-time winner against Cruz Azul in the Leagues Cup.
Messi, 36, officially joined Inter Miami last week alongside former Barcelona teammate, Sergio Busquets. The club were in desperate need of a boost, being without a win in 11 MLS games, and Messi brought his magic to the DRV PNK Stadium with a mesmerising second-half performance.
Some of the world’s biggest celebrities, such as Kim Kardashian, and sports royalty like Tom Brady, Serena Williams, and James all flocked to Miami to catch a glimpse of Messi, and he didn’t disappoint.
Messi and Busquets entered the field of play in the 54th minute with Inter Miami leading Cruz Azul 1-0. But the MLS team were pegged back ten minutes later with Uriel Antuna getting on the scoresheet.
Messi played his usual way, dragging his team’s performance up three levels. And in the 94th minute, he netted on his debut, curling a stunning free-kick into the top left corner of the net, sending the crowd into pandemonium, franchise co-owner David Beckham onto the verge of tears, and Williams’ jaw to the floor.
“Unbelievable [goat emoji],” NBA icon James said on Twitter after watching Messi play. The pair also hugged it out before kick-off.
Messi hailed Friday’s win as a much-needed confidence boost for Inter Miami. “What I saw was the goal. I saw the goal, I knew I had to score. It was the last play of the game, and I wanted to score so we didn’t go to penalties,” Messi said. “It was very important for us to get this win because in the tournament it’s going to give us confidence moving forward.”
Lionel Messi scored a 94th minute free-kick
Beckham was also over the moon as his vision for Inter Miami started to translate onto the pitch. “It’s terrible watching these games,” he said. “As an ex-player, you get frustrated. As a player, you can do something about it if you’re losing, when you’re an owner, you can’t.
“But tonight is about the people. It’s about this. This is what we always saw as our vision, me and Jorge and Jose and the club, this is what we saw. So this is such a special night for us, for our families, for everyone that’s in this stadium, for you guys. It is such a moment for this country. It’s such a moment for this league. And it’s a very proud moment for us.”
Messi and Inter Miami will be back in Leagues Cup action next week, hosting fellow MLS side Atlanta United on Tuesday, July 25.