Ranked! 10 Greatest Debuts of All Time After Messi’s Heroics for Inter Miami

Nothing can endear a footballer to the fans more than a great debut. Some debuts lay the groundwork for a successful career. Others truly never recapture those moments in their careers, but those moments stay with the players and fans forever.

Memorable debuts set the tone for the player and raise expectations among fans. Lionel Messi broke the internet when he scored a last-gasp free kick to help his new club Inter Miami win 2-1 against Cruz Azul. Although he's entering the twilight of his career, that debut and goal will be remembered for a long time.

Legendary footballers have also had memorable debuts, and some may have forgotten about it because they went on to have successful careers.

Not having a great debut does not mean the player will fail. Some have gone on to become important players for their clubs. Sports Brief looks at the top 10 greatest debuts in football.

Top 10 greatest debuts in football

Honorable mentions: Anthony Martial (Manchester United), Gianluigi Buffon (Parma), Christian Vieri (Inter Milan), Romario (Barcelona), Federico Macheda (Manchester United).

10. Ronaldo (Real Madrid vs Alaves, 2002)

Ronaldo's legacy in football is rock solid, but his debut for Real Madrid was memorable. Sixty-four seconds was all it took for the Brazilian maestro to score his first goal. He came on in the 63rd minute for Javier Portillo and scored in the 64th minute following an inch-perfect cross from Roberto Carlos.

He bagged his second when Steve McManaman played him in. He made no mistake. He scored 107 goals for Madrid.

9. Alan Shearer (Southampton vs Arsenal, 1988)

The England striker remains the Premier League's all-time top scorer, but his debut set the tone. In 1988, the England legend scored a hat-trick in his first senior start for Southampton. His performance helped the Saints beat the Gunners 4-2 at the Dell. That performance saw him become the youngest player ever to score three goals in the top flight of English football. The rest is history.

8. Fabrizio Ravanelli (Middlesbrough vs Liverpool, 1996)

The Italian opened his account for his new team with an astonishing hat-trick against Liverpool. He had left Champions League winners Juventus to join the likes of Juninho and Emerson on Teesside ahead of the 1996/97 season. He bagged 31 goals that season in all competitions and helped Boro reach both domestic cup finals at Wembley but also suffered an agonizing relegation.

7. Zinedine Zidane (France vs Czech Republic, 1994)

Zidane is one of the best footballers to ever live. He announced his arrival on the world stage in 1994 when he came on as a substitute for France against the Czech Republic. His team was 0-2 down, but Zidane decided they were not going to lose that night. The 22-year-old received a pass from Laurent Blanc before evading defenders and unleashing an unstoppable shot from 30 yards out to give France a lifeline. Two minutes later, he scored from a corner to salvage a 2-2 draw.

6. Sergio Aguero (Manchester City vs Swansea City, 2011)

Aguero helped Manchester City dominate the Premier League after decades of mediocrity. His debut was unforgettable. He scored twice and assisted David Silva after coming on as a substitute as City beat Swansea 4-0.

5. Zlatan Ibrahimovic (LA Galaxy vs LAFC, 2018)

Ibrahimovic is one of the most intriguing characters in football history. His debut in the MLS for LA Galaxy was incredible. With his team trailing 3-1 vs. LA FC, the Swede entered the fray in the 71st minute and played a part in LA Galaxy's second goal. However, for the equalizer, he took matters into his own hands.

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He unleashed an unstoppable volley from 38 yards before scoring the game-winner in stoppage time to help his team win 4-3.

4. Lionel Messi (Inter Miami vs Cruz Azul, 2023)

Messi sealed his status as the greatest footballer of all time after winning the World Cup with Argentina in December 2022. During his debut for Inter Miami, his performance in his first game was a fairytale. The 36-year-old was brought on in the 54th minute. The game was finely poised at 1-1 before Messi stepped up to take the free-kick in stoppage time.

He fired the free-kick into the top corner sending 20,000 fans at the DRV PNK Stadium into delirium.

3. Wayne Rooney (Manchester United vs Fenerbahce, 2004)

The Englishman announced his arrival on the big stage on 28 September 2004, with a stunning Champions League hat-trick against Fenerbahce to help Manchester United to a 6-2 win. He went on to win everything at the club and left as the all-time top scorer.

2. Erling Haaland (Borussia Dortmund vs Augsburg, 2020)

Before scoring for fun in the Premier League, Erling Haaland was tormenting defenders in the Bundesliga with Borussia Dortmund. He made his debut when he came on as a substitute in the 56th minute with his team losing 3-1 to Augsburg. He bagged a 23-minute hat trick to help his team win 5-3. He left the Bundesliga side with 86 goals in 89 appearances.

1. Alvaro Recoba (Inter Milan vs Brescia, 1997)

The Uruguayan had arguably the best debut of all time. Trailing 1-0 to Brescia, the Uruguayan came off the bench and decided to produce two moments of magic. His first goal was a scorcher from a distance that flew into the top corner. His second was a sensational free-kick, five minutes from time. He upstaged Ronaldo Nazario who was also making his debut for Inter.

LeBron James attends Messi's debut

Sports Brief has also reported that celebrities flocked to DRV PNK Stadium to watch Messi play, including Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James, who made the trip to Miami to see his fellow sports icon play.

He was seen entering the arena wearing a hat, white shirt, and shorts. The main star of the show, however, was Messi, who got massive cheers from fans when he arrived at the stadium ahead of his debut.