Lionel Messi continues to be the main attraction in any game he features in, even in the twilight of his career, with fans being seen leaving the stadium after he was substituted recently.The 36-year-old began his Inter Miami career with a winning goal in the 94th minute against Cruz Azul with a stunning free-kick into the top corner of the net.
Only days later, the Argentine international followed up the impressive cameo with his first start for his new club. Atlanta United were the opponents in front of Inter Miami, and Messi was the star of the show from the very first minute.
Lionel Messi shines as Inter Miami run riot
The crowd were on their feet as Messi turned in his first goal of the game after being sent through on goal, with the help of a rebound off the post. Football’s biggest superstar showed his class throughout the game with some wonderful flicks and a display of his passing range.
A clever one-two with his teammate saw Messi grab his second goal of the game, and his third overall, with a neat right-footed finish into the bottom corner .Being heavily involved in the build-up to the goal to make it 3-0 to his new side, Messi was the heartbeat of everything positive for his team. Not only a brilliant goalscorer, Messi is also perhaps the most creative player to have ever graced a football pitch, and he showed that with a composed assist for Robert Taylor.
Fans leave ground when Messi is substituted
When Messi was withdrawn from the game by his coach, footage emerged showing fans beginning to flood out of the stadium despite the game still being played. It goes a long way to show just how many people are there specifically to see the best player of all time. Fans were audibly louder when he picked up the ball compared to any other moments within the game.
Lionel Messi’s impact on Inter Miami
Reports of ticket prices rising dramatically as well as sell-out attendances since his arrival, show the influence the Argentine has on fans all over the world. Before his arrival, the club were only able to fill 12,821 seats out of a possible 18,000 in their home stadium. Not only are attendances looking up after he joined the club, but social media followers have increased dramatically.
Inter Miami had less than one million Instagram followers before they signed the forward, and this number quickly shot up to 4.5 million, to make them the most followed club in the MLS. This was a record previously held by LA Galaxy with just over a million followers – significantly less than Miami’s new numbers.
What is coming up for Messi and Inter Miami?
Fixtures with Charlotte, Cincinnati and New York Red Bulls are on the horizon for the Miami-based club. This presents an opportunity for even more eager supporters to get a glimpse of the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner in action.
Coming off the back of a World Cup win towards the end of 2022, Messi’s star power is at its highest point ever.