Lionel Messi Dedicates Inter Miami Debut Win to Injured Teammate Ian Fray

• Lionel Messi got off to an electrifying start for Inter Miami with a debut win
• He scored a last-minute freekick to win it after he was fouled on the edge of the box
• Messi dedicated the goal to teammate Ian Fray who went off injured in the first half

Lionel Messi already has a connection with his new teammates at Inter Miami and is taking on the leadership role after he was named captain on arrival.

Messi made the most of his time on the pitch on his debut for the American franchise with a match-winning goal in the last minute of his first game.

It looked like a scripted beginning in front of some top American celebrities and sports stars, including LeBron James, Serena Williams and Kim Kardashian, at the sold-out DRV PNK Stadium in Florida.

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Messi dedicates win to Fray

Messi unsurprisingly got all the attention, but he was humble enough to acknowledge luck played its part in the winning goal and also underlined how important the win was for the team.

He dedicated the win to young defender Ian Fray who limped off injured in the first half, and that got the heart of many MLS fans who applauded his attention to detail and how seamlessly he has bonded into the team.

"Let me dedicate this victory to Ian Fray, who was suffering in the locker room from the injury he sustained. He came from two serious injuries, and today he has the bad luck to go through an injury again," he said via Football Tweet.

According to The Athletic, Fray missed both 2021 and 2022 seasons after tearing his ACL in pre-season, and his reaction after limping off suggests the worst might have happened again.

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Per Transfermarkt, the 20-year-old Jamaica had been battling injury since 2021 and missed 84 games in 804 days of action since February 2021.

LeBron James acknowledges Messi

Sports Brief reported that LeBron James acknowledged Messi's greatness after watching the 2022 FIFA World Cup winner dazzle during his Inter Miami debut.

James had different messages on each social media platform, underlining how marvelled he was to have witnessed greatness live and shared moments with the 36-year-old.