The hilarious clip shows injured Inter Miami defender Ian Fray dancing on crutches as Lionel Messi’s side celebrate League Cup victory by beating Nashville
Hilarious footage of Inter Miami’s League Cup final victory shows injured defender Ian Fray joining his team-mates in post-match celebrations and dancing on crutches just weeks after Lionel Messi dedicated a winning goal to him.
After the Herons beat Nashville SC in an unusually long penalty shootout on Saturday night, the 21-year-old centre-back took the field at Geodis Park to celebrate the club’s first trophy in its five-year history.
After speaking to a member of Inter Miami’s medical staff, he joined his teammates and hopped on one leg while raising both crutches to the sky.
The defender, who is believed to be a hometown player, suffered a third cruciate ligament injury in three years during Inter Miami’s opening Leagues Cup game against La Liga MX’s Cruz Azul on July 21.
Messi was interviewed after scoring a free-kick in the final half that gave his new team a 2-1 win and wished Fray a speedy recovery in his post-match comments at the time.
Ian Fray celebrated Inter Miami’s Leagues Cup final victory by raising both crutches in the air
Lionel Messi, 36, wished Fray a speedy recovery at the start of the US Cup tournament
Fray, 20, suffered three cruciate ligament tears in three years after going through Miami’s youth team
In the 26th minute of the game, Fray fell to the ground without contact and finally left the field crying.
The Florida-born player has already suffered cruciate ligament tears twice, including just a month into his professional career in 2021 and in pre-season 2022, ending his second season with Inter Miami’s senior team early after leaving the academy of the club had completed.
“Let me dedicate this win to Ian Fray, who was suffering in the dressing room from the injury he picked up,” said Messi after last month’s group stage win over Cruz Azul.
“He’s coming back from two serious injuries and is unlucky to suffer another injury today.”
Fray tore his cruciate ligament for the third time during Messi’s debut for Inter Miami against Cruz Azul on July 21
Back then, Messi’s exploits ended Miami’s seven defeats, but Frey’s injury was also a concern.
The defender had become a first-team regular after recovering from a second cruciate ligament injury but is now undergoing his third and hopefully final rehab.
Through his parents, Fray is eligible to represent the US men’s national team – the country where he was born and raised – or Jamaica.
Messi, 36, is expected to feature in Wednesday’s US Open Cup semifinal match against Cincinnati in Miami before finally making his MLS debut against the New York Red Bulls three days later on Saturday, August 26.