Lionel Messi: Inter Miami Superstar Reflects on ‘Unimaginable’ Match Winning Debut Heroics

• Lionel Messi had a debut to remember for Inter Miami against Cruz Azul
• Messi scored a last-minute match winning free kick in his first game for Miami
• The Argentina captain has reflected on his debut heroics and if he had imagined it

If a time traveller had told Lionel Messi how his Inter Miami debut against Cruz Azul would play out, he probably would not have believed it because he did not imagine it.

Messi arrived in Miami with a lot of hype and expectations. His move sent waves across North America and was made possible by every club in Major League Soccer.

He made his long-awaited debut on July 21 in the inaugural Leagues Cup against Mexican club Cruz Azul, coming on as a second-half substitute to a rousing welcome.

The match appeared to be heading for a 1-1 draw before Miami were awarded a free kick on the edge of the box, and Messi stepped up to dispatch it beautifully and win the game for his team.

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Did Messi imagine Inter Miami debut?

The 2022 World Cup winner is reflecting on his life in MLS on an Apple TV documentary, Messi Meets America, where he has spoken about some moments of his time so far.

How else would such begin if not with his dream start to life in the Vice City, though he admitted he'd never imagined it'd be like that.

"The truth is it was crazy how it happened. Not even in my wildest dreams did I imagine it playing out that way. Obviously, you always dream big and always imagine the best, don’t you? But the truth is that I hadn’t imagined it," he said.

"It was extraordinary to be able to start like this because of all the expectations I had, because it was my first minutes in my first home game, it gave us the victory in the last minute, and well… It was special. Truly."

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As reported by Sportskeeda, Messi's influence grew from that moment, and he helped the club win the Leagues Cup. His time at the club has slowed down since September due to an injury picked up on international duty.

Beckham's thoughts on Messi's debut

Sports Brief reported on David Beckham's thoughts on Messi's debut, where he scored a brilliant free kick to win it for Inter Miami in the last minute against Cruz Azul.

The club co-owner, who was at the pitch side at the DRV PNK Stadium, claimed he knew the ball was going in the moment he stood over the free kick.

Yedlin's verdict on Messi's season

Sports Brief also reported that Inter Miami teammate DeAndre Yedlin rated Messi's first season at the club after their playoff hopes were dashed against Cincinnati.

The American defender acknowledged winning a trophy for the first time in the club's history but admitted it could have ended better and won't see it as a success.