WATCH: Lionel Messi Debuts For Inter Miami With Match-Winning Free Kick In Extra Time Against Cruz Azul

With the scores levelled at 1-1, Messi netted a match-winning extra-time goal for Inter Miami in their Leagues Cup 2023 opener against Cruz Azul.

Lionel Messi #10 of Inter Miami CF celebrates after kicking the game winning goal during the second half of the Leagues Cup 2023 match between Cruz Azul and Inter Miami CF at DRV PNK Stadium on July 21, 2023 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Source : Getty Images

Lionel Messi is widely regarded as one of the finest players ever to have played the sport of football. The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner and the World Cup-winner with Argentina showed why he is rated so highly on his Inter Miami debut in their Leagues Cup 2023 opener against Cruz Azul at the DRV PNK Stadium in Florida. Coming in as a second-half substitute, Messi made his presence felt on the pitch in the initial minutes as he created chances and affected some magical passes but it was in the dying minutes of the match that he made a real difference for his side.

With the scores levelled at 1-1, Messi netted a match-winning extra-time goal for his Major League Soccer (MLS) club, much to the delight of the fans and his Inter Miami teammates. It was a fairytale beginning for the 36-year-old who was playing his first competitive match in US after having signed a deal with the David Beckham co-owned side earlier this year.

WATCH Messi's maiden goal for Inter Miami here: 

LIONEL ANDRÉS MESSI IS NOT HUMAN. pic.twitter.com/2mBDI41mLy

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) July 22, 2023

As a result of Messi's goal, Inter Miami came out on 2-1. Messi's goal came after Robert Taylor's first half-strike for Miami was cancelled out by the Mexican club's Antuna. There was a lot of excitment for this game as it had been promoted as Messi's debut game with the prices of tickets skyrocketing and surely fans won't be disappointed with the superstar footballer's performance.

There were chants of "Messi.. Messi.." in the stadium even in the first half despite him not being named in the team's starting XI. Messi patiently waited for his turn, did a bit of warm-up at half-time before eventually stepping on to the pitch and in what can be summed up as a dream start to his Inter Miami stint.