Comparing Lionel Messi’s League Debuts in La Liga, Ligue 1, and MLS

• Lionel Messi made his La Liga debut for Barcelona in 2004 against Espanyol
• The Argentine star made his Ligue 1 debut for PSG in 2021 against Reims
• He scored on his MLS debut for Inter Miami in the win against New York Red Bulls

Lionel Messi’s MLS chapter has officially begun.

The Argentine star sent his fans into a frenzy, scoring a late goal in Inter Miami’s win over the New York Red Bulls on Saturday night.

Sports Brief compares Messi’s first MLS game in the United States to his league debuts in Spain and France with Barcelona and PSG.

Messi’s La Liga debut

Messi made his La Liga debut on October 16, 2004, after he was promoted by Barcelona to their senior team for the 2004-05 campaign.

He came on as a substitute for Deco, replacing the Portuguese star in the 82nd minute, per Goal.com.

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He made history with that appearance, becoming the youngest player to represent the Catalan giants in an official competition.

He didn’t find the back of the net in that contest, but Messi showed some flashes of brilliance in his short time on the pitch, displaying his dribbling wizardry against Espanyol.

Messi’s debut ended with a win, with Barcelona emerging as 1-0 victors.

Messi’s Ligue 1 debut

Messi shocked the football world in 2021 when he announced he was leaving Barcelona.

He took his talents to France, signing a blockbuster deal with Paris Saint-Germain.

He made his league debut for the French giants on August 29, 2021, when PSG faced Reims on the road.

Just like his debut with Barcelona, he came on as a substitute in his first Ligue 1 appearance for PSG.

He replaced former Barca teammate Neymar in the 66th minute, with PSG already holding a two-goal advantage at that stage, per The Guardian.

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Messi failed to score, but his debut ended with a win as PSG cruised to a 2-0 victory.

Messi’s MLS debut

Messi started playing for Inter Miami last July, but his first eight games for the club came in cup competitions.

He played seven matches in the Leagues Cup, leading the Herons to their first-ever championship.

He then led Inter Miami to their second cup final, helping the Herons beat FC Cincinnati in the U.S. Open Cup semis.

Messi entered his first MLS game undefeated, winning his first eight matches since moving to the United States.

He officially made his MLS debut in the 60th minute of Inter Miami’s match against the New York Red Bulls when he replaced Leonardo Campana.

He still made a tremendous impact even with his limited time on the pitch.

He helped engineer a fantastic team goal, finishing a slick passing sequence with a close-range strike in the 89th minute to seal the 2-0 win for Inter Miami.

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Messi dissected New York’s defense, releasing Benjamin Cremaschi with a superb through ball with the outside of his left boot.

Cremaschi returned the favor, delivering a first-time cross to Messi, who tapped the ball in for his 11th goal in nine matches.

Messi takes over Times Square

Sports Brief recently reported on Messi taking over Times Square on Saturday night.

Inter Miami’s match against the New York Red Bulls was shown live on the big screen in the popular tourist destination.

Fans went into a frenzy when Messi entered the game as a substitute and scored a late goal.