Take a bow, Lionel Messi.
In his debut for Inter Miami, the Argentine superstar scored a stunning free kick in stoppage time to give his new team a 2-1 lead over Mexican side Cruz Azul. It helped secure a victory for Miami, and marked a spectacular arrival for Messi in the United States.
Here’s a look at the magnificent game-winning strike:
Lionel Messi goal vs. Cruz Azul
Messi’s goal came in the fourth minute of stoppage time to break a 1-1 tie. Just as he’s done so many times in his illustrious career, Messi defied physics with the flick of that magical left boot, hooking in a patented free kick just as he’s done so many times over the last 20 years.
LIONEL ANDRÉS MESSI IS NOT HUMAN. pic.twitter.com/2mBDI41mLy
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) July 22, 2023
Messi was substituted on in the 55th minute after starting the game on the bench. The match was a Leagues Cup fixture, which is a tournament pitting MLS sides against teams from the Mexican Liga MX.
The next time Messi and his Miami teammates are in action is on July 25 against Atlanta United.