The viral slow-motion footage of Lionel Messi’s inaugural MLS goal for Inter Miami has taken the internet by storm following his impactful cameo appearance against New York Red Bulls.
Despite starting on the bench, Messi’s appearance was highly anticipated by the fans, even though his absence from the starting lineup led to some disappointment among the away supporters.
Inter Miami managed to take the lead prior to Messi’s entry onto the field, as newly signed Dario Gomez found the net for his new club in the 37th minute.
With the score standing at 1-0, manager Gerardo Martino made the decision to introduce Messi in the 60th minute, presenting him with an opportunity to make a difference in the game. And indeed, he did just that.
In the 89th minute, Messi deftly received the ball inside the penalty area, quickly turned, and delivered an exquisite pass to his teammate Benjamin Cremaschi. Following a quick exchange, Messi calmly tapped the ball into the net from close range, inciting jubilation among the Inter Miami supporters.
Subsequently, the Spanish MLS account shared slow-motion footage of the goal, emphasizing the brilliance of Messi’s play.
You can watch the clip below.
El 🔟 en slow-motion 🤌 pic.twitter.com/anXPrX9Ne7
— MLS Español (@MLSes) August 27, 2023
While observing Messi’s play at full speed is truly awe-inspiring, the slow-motion footage effectively captures the precise sequence of his movements that led to the goal.
Inter Miami’s 2-0 triumph not only lifted them from the bottom of the MLS Eastern Conference table but also removed their status as the statistically worst team in MLS for the year 2023.
As for Messi, his tally of 11 goals now places him in the third position among all-time Inter Miami goalscorers, surpassing his teammate Josef Martinez. His next target is former Wolves striker Leonardo Campana, who has 18 goals to his name, while Gonzalo Higuain leads the chart with 29 goals.
Inter Miami’s upcoming match is scheduled for Thursday, where they will host Nashville in what will be Messi’s inaugural home MLS game. The Inter Miami supporters are likely to anticipate his inclusion in the starting lineup for this crucial encounter.