In his second year playing in Major League Soccer, Lionel Messi has started to attract attention, with LiveScore providing extensive coverage of significant events across the United States. David Beckham, co-owner of Inter Miami, was present to witness Messi’s outstanding performance in the MLS season opener against Real Salt Lake.
The former Manchester United and England icon traveled to Florida for the beginning of the season and was undoubtedly impressed by Tata Martino’s ambitious team in their 2-0 victory on Wednesday.
At 36 years old, Messi put on an exceptional display, demonstrating his exceptional skills with some impressive footwork. He came close to scoring with a free-kick that was cleared off the line and even hit the crossbar directly from a corner before assisting Robert Taylor for the opening goal.
🐐 Lionel Messi holds the record for the highest jersey sales within the first 24 hours of any player changing teams across all sports.
— FIFA World Cup Stats (@alimo_philip) February 23, 2024
👕 Demand for Messi’s Inter Miami jersey has led to months-long back orders.
💰 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝟐𝟒 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬 𝐉𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐲 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬
🇦🇷… pic.twitter.com/cywP7RUU07
Diego Gomez secured the win for the home team with a goal scored seven minutes before the end of the match. Lionel Messi has responded to criticisms regarding his absence from Inter Miami’s friendly against Hong Kong XI.
In a video shared on the Chinese social media platform Weibo, Messi clarified: “After the match in Hong Kong, I’ve encountered various comments and rumors. I felt it was important to create this video to provide accurate information and prevent any misinformation.
What I gather from this video is that, Inter Miami will make a ton of money before Messi leaves there
— Grace Anthony (@Gracey_Fcb) February 23, 2024
Beckham you Genius! 👏
pic.twitter.com/ruzYWHoRdk
“I’ve heard speculations suggesting I refused to participate due to political reasons and other baseless claims.
“If that were true, I wouldn’t have traveled to Japan or China. I was dealing with an inflamed adductor, which made me unable to play.”
As the start of the upcoming Major League Soccer season approaches, Inter Miami and Real Salt Lake will kick off the action on Wednesday. Lionel Messi and his teammates will unveil Inter Miami’s new primary kit, named “2getherness.” Inter Miami manager Gerardo Martino expresses confidence in Messi’s fitness for the match against Real Salt Lake following a 1-1 draw against Newell’s Old Boys in the team’s final pre-season friendly.
Martino stated, “I see him fully recovered. While we’re gradually reintegrating him into the squad, I observed his performance on the field today, his collaboration with the team, and his presence in the penalty area—all of which looked promising.”
“Tonight he played nearly 60 minutes, and the plan is for him to be well-prepared for our league debut on February 21. This match was pivotal in assessing our readiness for the season opener.”
Hugo Lloris, recently unveiled at Major League Soccer club LAFC, aims to emulate the success of his former Tottenham teammate Gareth Bale. Lloris, aged 37, joined LAFC after leaving Spurs as a free agent and is optimistic about his prospects with the Black and Gold.
Lloris commented, “When Carlos Vela signed with the club in its early stages, LAFC gained global recognition. The addition of Giorgio [Chiellini] and Gareth has further enhanced the club’s appeal. I believe if I hadn’t seized this opportunity, I would regret it later in life.”
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