The former Barcelona star, Lionel Messi signed for David Beckham’s Inter Miami in July, and the deal seems to be paying off for both parties as Messi is getting a lot of love that he probably missed in Paris, and Inter Miami now has a trophy to show for it – what a show this has been!
Messi left PSG after his contract with the club expired, and rumors about a return to Barcelona swirled around for some months before the Argentine decided to move to Miami. His time at Inter Miami has brought some good times to the club, with Messi scoring ten goals in seven games.
Watch: Inter Miami defender Ian Fray hilariously dances on crutches with Lionel Messi’s team
Lionel Messi led his new club Inter Miami to their first trophy since their inception, winning the Leagues Cup for David Beckham’s franchise on penalties after an initial 1-1 draw with Nashville SC. The Argentine scored a trademark goal from outside the box after dribbling past a Nashville SC defender before slotting home a wonder goal to give Inter Miami a lead in the final.
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A 57th-minute equalizer by Nashville SC’s Fafa Picault canceled Messi’s feat for the time being, forcing the game into penalties, where both teams displayed high levels of calmness and composure. Inter Miami scored 10 out of the 11 penalties they played, which won them their first trophy in the club’s history, with Messi etching his name into the history books.
🩼 Ian Fray’s Crutches Celebration!
The injured centerback joined in on Inter Miami’s post-game festivities, hopping on one leg while raising his crutches into the sky.#InterMiamiCF #Messi𓃵 pic.twitter.com/AWSCmRsTzv
— Franco Panizo (@FrancoPanizo) August 20, 2023
Although Ian Fray missed the match owing to injury, that setback could not stop him from joining his team during the celebrations as the American hopped on his crutches to join his teammates in celebrating their Leagues Cup triumph. The defender is recovering from an ACL injury that may force him to miss the rest of the season after he damaged his left knee in Messi’s first game for Inter Miami against Cruz Azul.
Lionel Messi dedicated his first Inter Miami win to ACL injury victim Ian Fray
Messi is known for his selflessness, both on and off the pitch, and he hasn’t taken long to display it in the MLS. The World Cup winner dedicated his club’s win to Ian Fray, acknowledging the American and his sacrifice for the team. “Let me dedicate this win to Ian Fray,” Messi said. “He comes from two serious injuries, and today, he has the bad luck to go through an injury again,” he concluded.
Leo Messi: “Let me dedicate this victory to Ian Fray (Inter Miami teammate) who was suffering in the locker room from the injury he sustained. He comes from two serious injuries and today he has the bad luck to go through an injury again.” pic.twitter.com/5idgnXJiqy
— All About Argentina 🛎🇦🇷 (@AlbicelesteTalk) July 22, 2023
Messi may now shift his focus to the MLS, where Inter Miami lay at the bottom of the Eastern Conference table. The Argentine will likely hope to inspire his team to climb up the table as the season progresses.
What do you think of Messi’s performance? Tell us below!
