Messi celebrated from the bench as Robert Taylor put Miami ahead just before halftime, but when the 36-year-old came on the field Cruz Azul grew into the game. Messi’s introduction after 51 minutes was soon followed by an equaliser for the visiting team, with Uriel Antuna scoring 14 minutes later.
Miami thought they had a penalty to win The Leagues Cup opener, as Messi was bunded to the ground inside the area. However, Messi still made the most of a set piece, curling in a free-kick to send the Miami crowd wild.
It was a sell-out crowd at DRV PNK Stadium, with tickets on resale between $200-$5,000 (£155.50-£3,888) on Friday morning for Messi’s big occasion. Some fans may have been disappointed not to see the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner start the match, but Messi has only just completed a full European football season.
The European season typically starts in August and runs until June, but due to the first-ever winter World Cup that was held in Qatar, domestic seasons around Europe finished later than usual. Messi also won the World Cup with Argentina, meaning he played the maximum amount of games in that tournament.
Messi is already on his way to full fitness, but franchise owner Beckham explained earlier this week that Miami is going to be careful with their prized star. “We don’t know if Leo [Messi] is going to play the game or if he will have minutes, because I think that, after all, he needs to be ready,” Beckham said to ESPN Argentina.
“We have to protect him and make sure that he is ready because he has been on vacation and has just arrived in Miami. He has trained and he looks good. I think Leo and Tata [Martino] will decide when and if he plays on Friday, but the atmosphere here will be amazing and hopefully we can get the win.”
Ultimately he did play, and for longer than initially expected, proving it’s a sign of things to come fitness-wise as he looked sharp in a Miami jersey. It’s been clear all season that Miami is lacking quality, and they’ve failed to fill the void left by fellow Argentine Gonzalo Higuain who retired at the end of last season.
There’s a reason why they’re at the bottom of the Eastern Conference, with only five wins from 22 MLS games. But Messi has now arrived and brought two of his old friends from Barcelona too.
Sergio Busquets followed Messi to Miami, and Jordi Alba also signed as Beckham scheduled a Barcelona reunion in MLS. Busquets also made his debut at the same time as Messi, but Alba missed the match due to recently becoming a father.
Miami has gone from a depreciating squad to one that stands out from the rest, and there could be further additions. Former Barcelona legends Andres Iniesta and Luis Suarez have been linked, but for now, Miami has enough to be working with.
They each bring exceptional quality, experience, and presence, but as a collective, it’s not surprising why they’re already favorites to win the MLS Cup next season. That certainly doesn’t look like happening this season unless a miracle occurs, but if anyone is to assist the impossible it’s Messi.
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