Two-time FIFA champion Mia Hamm reflects on the Messi mania in the USA
Mia Hamm isn’t at all surprised at how Lionel Messi has taken America by storm.
Sports Seriously, USA TODAY
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Lionel Messi presented his eighth Ballon d’Or trophy and thanked Inter Miami fans in a brief pregame ceremony ahead of Friday’s friendly against NYCFC at DRV PNK Stadium.
“I would like to thank everyone in Miami, not only on the pitch but everyone in the city, for the welcome I felt from my family and for the love that was shown to me,” Messi said.
“It’s nice to share it with all of you,” Messi said. “I’ve only been here a short time, but it feels like a long time.”
Messi admitted that even though he hasn’t been at Inter Miami long, he is happy to win the club’s first League Cup title this summer.
He also shared his enthusiasm for Inter Miami’s future.
“I have no doubt… that next year will be much better,” Messi said. “We will continue to have fun and try to win more titles and I hope you are with me.”
MLS Commissioner Don Garber and Inter Miami owner Jorge Mas thanked Messi before he was introduced to the audience.
“You, Inter Miami fans, have the best player to ever play the game,” Garber said. “Thank you, Lionel, for your belief in Major League Soccer and for making your club and our league a league of choice.”
Mas began his speech by recalling the landing of Messi and his family at an airport near the DRV-PNK stadium some 122 days ago.
“This soccer club was founded out of a dream, a dream that South Florida would be home to the greatest soccer team this country has ever seen,” Mas said. “It was our aim and our goal that people think and believe in Miami when football is talked about in America.”
Mas called Messi “the greatest player of all time” and “the greatest No. 10 in the world.”
It’s Messi’s night. But that doesn’t stop NYCFC from playing spoiler.
Talles Magno’s left boot in the 42nd minute gave NYCFC a 1-0 lead.
And here in the DRV PNK Stadium the audience fell silent shortly before halftime.
Messi’s best chance came in the 27th minute when he shot from close range – at least for him.
Instead, Messi fell on his butt after his attempt.
Messi caught a pass in the penalty area and uncharacteristically missed the way he shot it into the net. It was almost as if Messi had scored the goal before he actually did it.
In the end, he ended up on the pitch and was supported by the NYCFC goalkeeper as the game progressed – it is a friendly game, after all.
Just before the 33rd minute, Messi had another shot that hit the Inter Miami stands.
The fans go into crescendos every time Messi touches the ball in this game.
Messi missed his first shot on goal in the 10th minute, a left-footed shot that barely cleared the net and into the crowd. But the fans here are eager to see an unforgettable goal that they can capture on their phones.
About a minute later, Messi fired a soft shot toward goal, but the NYCFC goalkeeper was able to dive and block it with his right hand. Messi grimaced at the missed opportunity.
In the 20th minute, Messi tried to get between at least six NYCFC defenders before a shot deflected behind him from an opposing player.
Surprise surprise. Of course, Messi is in Inter Miami’s starting lineup for a friendly match where his eighth Ballon d’Or trophy will be honored on Friday evening.
Here is Inter Miami’s starting lineup:
Time, TV channel for Messi, Inter Miami game against NYCFC?
The game starts at 8 p.m. and will be broadcast on Apple TV.
Zidane says in Adidas interview that Messi is “pure magic”.
It turns out Zinedine Zidane did a little more than watch Messi’s game at an Inter Miami game in September.
Messi and Zidane sat down for an in-depth conversation that was posted on Adidas’ YouTube channel this week. And it’s a real treat for football fans.
“It’s a shame we couldn’t play together,” Zidane told Messi. “This is the moment for me to pass the ball to you.”
Zidane also said of Messi: “Today is a very important day for me because I can tell him how much I admire him… I think it’s magic, pure magic.”
Watch the interview here:
Martino said Messi may not play the entire friendly against NYCFC.
“I’m not sure if he’ll play the full 90 minutes, but he’ll play,” Martino said this week.
While the game serves as a final preparation for Inter Miami’s off-season, it could also serve as preparation for two 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Argentina later this month.
In the friendly against NYCFC, dubbed the Noche d’Or by the club, Messi will be honored on the pitch at 7:45 p.m. before the start of the game.
Messi, Inter Miami managing owner Jorge Mas and MLS commissioner Don Garber are expected to speak. Messi’s Ballon d’Or trophy will also be presented to fans at the DRV PNK Stadium.
Messi will join the Argentina national team for two more World Cup qualifiers this month.
Argentina will play Uruguay in Buenos Aires on November 16th and Brazil on November 21st at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro.
Messi, who is now healthy and has not played any more Inter Miami games, could see significant playing time in both games.
Messi went scoreless but played the entire game in his last game against Inter Miami, a 1-0 loss to Charlotte FC that ended the MLS season on October 21.
But he returned to form in his last game against Argentina, where he scored two goals and played all 93 minutes in the game against Peru on October 17.
Messi was sidelined by a right leg injury that forced him to miss six Inter Miami games in the final month of the MLS season.
Friendly match between Inter Miami replaces China tour
Messi and Inter Miami were scheduled to travel to China earlier this month and play two friendlies against Chinese super teams, but their China tour was ultimately canceled.
Instead, they will end their 2023 season against NYCFC.
“We actually wanted to have a few friendlies, but due to circumstances that did not depend on us, we could not travel to China,” Martino said this week. “But this is a good opportunity.”