"One man show", "Ronaldo can't do that" - Twitter explodes as Lionel Messi scores stoppage time winner for Inter Miami against Cruz Azul

Lionel Messi sent fans into a frenzy after grabbing the winner as Inter Miami beat Cruz Azul 2-1 in the Leagues Cup on his debut on Friday (July 21).

Inter Miami announced the signing of the Argentinian icon on a two-and-a-half-year contract on Saturday (July 15). The Major League Soccer club presented their new No. 10 to the fans at their home DRV PNK Stadium in Florida the next day.

Messi, 36, took part in his first training session with the MLS outfit on Tuesday (July 18). The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner started from the bench in Gerardo Martino's first XI against Cruz Azul in the Leagues Cup.

The former Barcelona superstar came on for American teenager Benjamin Cremaschi in the 54thminute, with the Herons leading 1-0. He notably took the captain's armband from DeAndre Yedlin after coming in.

There were concerns that Messi's Inter Miami debut would not go to plan after Cruz Azul restored parity 11 minutes later However, the 2022 FIFA World Cup winner had other ideas, grabbing a sensational stoppage-time winner with a stunning 94th-minute free-kick.

Fans went berserk on Twitter after the former Paris Saint-Germain talisman announced his arrival in the US in stunning fashion, with one tweeting:

Another took the opportunity to take a dig at the Argentinian's arch-nemesis Cristiano Ronaldo:

Martino and Co. lock horns with MLS rivals Atlanta United in their second Leagues Cup group stage game on Tuesday (July 25) where La Pulga could make his full debut.

How did Lionel Messi fare for Inter Miami against Cruz Azul?

Despite being on the pitch for only 36 minutes, Lionel Messi made a significant impact for Inter Miami on his debut. He had 35 touches of the ball but was dispossessed just twice. The superstar also had two shots on target, while another one was blocked.

The Argentinian icon completed 24 passes with 92% accuracy during his brief time on the pitch. The forward played five passes into the final third and created one chance. He also played two long balls with 100% accuracy.

Furthermore, Messi won one of the five ground duels attempted and registered two recoveries. He won a free-kick for his new side but also gave away one. With a FotMob rating of 7.5, he was the joint-fourth best rated player among his teammates.

About the author

Dakir is a European and Indian football journalist at Sportskeeda with an overall experience of 10 years. Holding a Master’s degree in Journalism & Mass Communication, and currently pursuing Master’s in Sports Journalism from Sheffield Hallam University, he is a seasoned football journalist who has interviewed the likes of former Liverpool star John Arne Riise, covered the entire 2022-23 Indian Super League season of the Kerala Blasters, and has delivered a seminar at an international conference held by St. Albert's College, Ernakulam.

Thanks to his extensive academic background in journalism, Dakir understands the importance of accuracy and spends a significant amount of time researching the subject. In today’s data-driven world of football, where players are perceived as machines, he prides himself amplify the voices of the people that make football the beautiful game that it is.

He started following football in 2013, and more specifically, Brendan Rodgers’ Liverpool, and admires Jurgen Klopp for his untouched charisma and unmatched legacy. A perpetual underdog supporter, he is a fan of under-fire Reds forward Darwin Nunez and can’t wait for him to show the world what he truly is. Trent Alexander-Arnold’s iconic “corner taken quickly” corner assist for Divock Origi in Liverpool’s 4-0 UCL semifinal win over Barcelona left a lasting impact on him.

When not writing, Dakir enjoys indulging in his guilty pleasure - watching mass commercial movies.

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