It was the Lionel Messi present on one in all America’s grandest sports activities phases, and most of the 45,845 in attendance had been there on Sunday for the present.
From the second Inter Miami’s bus arrived at Yankee Stadium to face New York Metropolis FC, all eyes had been on the World Cup winner from begin to end. In the long run, Inter Miami defeated NYCFC 3-2, and Messi’s efficiency — which included a second-half purpose — lived as much as the hype for these clad in Miami pink and Argentinian Nationwide staff jerseys.
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“The expertise to this point has been wonderful,” 20-year-old Fordham pupil Gabriel Santiago instructed The Publish on the Yankee Stadium concourse. “He’s placed on a laser present to this point, so it’s undoubtedly been price it.”
“He’s achieved every little thing. He’s, in my view, undisputedly the best participant to play the game,” Diego Fernandez, 21, who attended Sunday’s match with Santiago, stated. “And each time he will get a ball you already know you could have an opportunity at experiencing one thing wonderful.”
Lionel Messi seems on through the MLS match between New York Metropolis FC and Inter Miami CF at Yankee Stadium on March 22, 2026 in New York, New York. Getty Pictures
For New York Metropolis FC, even a few of its gamers needed to take a second to understand being on the identical pitch as Messi. Agustín Ojeda, an Argentinian himself, stated that he grew up “idolizing” the famed footballer.
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“It was only a nice alternative to be current on the sphere with him, and I loved the expertise,” he stated by way of a translator.
The excitement had been palpable through the afternoon showdown in The Bronx as followers erupted each time Messi moved on the pitch at Yankee Stadium. In the proper nook of the ballpark, followers screamed and chanted, attempting to get Messi’s consideration throughout warmups, and when he regarded their manner, they had been overcome with delirium.
The group roared as if Messi was lining up for a penalty within the World Cup when he took follow pictures on the web throughout warmups.
And when he touched the ball through the 90-minute affair, and every time there was a touch of a scoring probability, Yankee Stadium sounded as if Aaron Choose had simply belted a bottom-of-the-ninth house run.
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Chants of “MESSI” echoed at numerous instances through the match, together with within the remaining 10 minutes with Miami forward 3-2.
Messi, who had simply scored his 900th profession purpose for membership and nation on Wednesday, confirmed why he’s one in all soccer’s biggest gamers through the match. He compelled NYCFC Matt Freese to make a diving save within the eighth minute and almost scored within the thirtieth minute after ringing a shot off the submit from 25 yards out.
Moments later, he acquired the ball again and danced by way of the NYCFC backline earlier than the house facet was capable of knock the ball out, erasing the hazard. Within the forty second minute, he hit the crossbar on a shot simply exterior the penalty space.
The legendary striker lastly gave the gang what they’d been hoping to see when he took a free kick, and it appeared to hit off a New York Metropolis participant and bounced out of attain of Freese within the 61st minute. The purpose erased the 2-1 lead NYCFC had and kick-started the Inter Miami comeback.
Lionel Messi chases the ball through the match between New York Metropolis FC and Inter Miami CF at Yankee Stadium on March 22, 2026 in New York, New York. Getty Pictures
“The woodwork saved us a few instances on him within the first half,” NYCFC defender Kevin O’Toole stated about defending Messi, who generated 9 pictures through the match. “I believe he’s a participant that’s all the time going to create possibilities for himself. I imply 9 pictures is lots, so the woodwork got here up clutch and Aiden [O’Neill’s] leg as effectively. I don’t know, [Messi] was first rate as we speak.”
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New York Metropolis FC has not received a match towards Inter Miami within the Messi period and their final win towards the membership got here again on March 11, 2023, at Yankee Stadium.
Sunday additionally marked NYCFC’s first lack of the season after choosing up 10 factors within the standings by way of their first 4 video games.
It was the primary time that NYCFC had seen Miami because the Jap Convention Finals, after they fell 5-1 in South Florida.
Gonzalo Luján had given Inter Miami the lead three minutes into the match, cleansing up a unfastened ball within the field. Nicolás Fernández Mercau scored within the seventeenth minute to tie the sport at one and Agustín Ojeda continued his robust run this season to place NYCFC forward within the 59th minute.
Michael dos Santos scored the go-ahead purpose for Inter Miami within the 74th minute.