Messi celebrates Ballon d’Or with MLS fans but Miami fall in friendly

By Daily Sports Nigeria on November 11, 2023

Inter Miami saluted Argentine star Lionel Messi’s eighth Ballon d’Or on Friday, but their friendly match to mark the achievement ended in a 2-1 loss to MLS rivals New York City FC.

The defeat, in a match between two teams long out of the MLS championship running, was just a footnote on a celebratory night that began with Messi offering his thanks to fans for the welcome he’d received in Florida.

Fans, many of them shouting “Messi! Messi!” in unison, nearly filled the DRV PNK stadium — despite the fact that the club’s MLS season ended last month.

“Thank you for being here, for this beautiful tribute,” Messi said after raising the trophy he’d collected in Paris last month. “I have been here for a short time, but it seems like a lot of time.

“I want to thank all the people of Miami, not only those who are here, but in the city in general, for the treatment I and my family have received during this time.

“They showed me a lot of affection, they made me feel at home.”

The 36-year-old superstar received a rapturous welcome when he arrived at Inter Miami in July and powered the struggling franchise to the Leagues Cup title in a tournament with MLS and Mexican league clubs in August.

He played his first MLS regular season match for Miami on August 26 as a second-half substitute, scoring a goal in Inter’s 2-0 win at New York Red Bulls to snap an 11-match winless streak.

But nagged by a late-season leg injury, Messi was unable to lift Miami from the league cellar into the MLS Cup playoffs.

Even so, he has electrified the US league, his appeal underscored by a spike in jersey sales and a rise in sales of MLS season pass viewing subscriptions as well as ticket sales wherever Miami played.

Fans were chanting for him again late in Friday’s match, but he was unable to produce an equalizer in a contest won by NYCFC with goals from Talles Magno and Julian Fernandez.

Messi’s latest Ballon d’Or rewarded exploits achieved well before his move to MLS, namely his inspirational performances at last year’s World Cup in Qatar where he scored seven goals and was named the tournament’s best player as he carried Argentina to victory.

But Messi said he was aiming to build on Miami’s Leagues Cup crown next season — when his club will defend that title and compete in the US Open Cup and CONCACAF Champions Cup in addition to their MLS campaign.

“I had no doubt that we were going to have a good time, that we were going to enjoy ourselves and today I have even less doubts that next year is going to be much better,” he said

 

Source Punch Ng

Posted November 11, 2023


 

You may also like...
Eagles World Cup stars celebrate Lions after ouster...

Chelsea sign Kante from Leicester

Ronaldo’s Stoppage Time Penalty Sinks Genoa

Kogi United Players Protest At Government House, Threaten...

Man City Brush Aside Crystal Palace To Go...

Oshoala Heartbroken After Nigeria’s Shock Olympic Exit

 

Latest News CAF awards: Ajibade, Nnadozie, Edo Queens bag nominations Lagos SWAN, PAACC Hold SWAN Day At Golfview Hotels, Ikeja Crisis looms as Eagles’ form raises AFCON, W’Cup concerns Ex-Nigerian Super Falcons player handcuffed, children assaulted as police storm Anambra Football Academy Sports NFF, teammates console Nwabali on father’s death Abia Govt hails Nigeria Olympic Committee over staging an admin course in Umuahia Libya deliver Eagles 2025 AFCON ticket Eagles battle Cheetahs for 2025 AFCON ticket Yellow Greens gear up for T20 W’Cup qualifiers Tyson tips Fury to beat Joshua Sadiq absent as 22 Eagles train in Abidjan Eagles’ striking trio hot for Cheetahs, Amavubi clashes

 

Most Read Rangers International going, going . . . (55,164 views) Amaju Pinnick: A cat with nine lives (46,308 views) Second Term: Amaju Pinnick, Other NFF Heavyweights Home to Roost •How Pinnick Broke the Jinx (44,370 views) Missing $150,000 IAAF Grant: Solomon Dalung’s Hide and Seek game (44,015 views) Sports Development: Zenith Bank on the zenith (43,948 views) Current issues in Nigerian sports: Matters arising (43,904 views) Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje’s solid footprints, commitment to sports development in Kano State (43,743 views) NFF Presidency: Pinnick, Maigari, Ogunjobi, Okoye in Battle for Supremacy (43,312 views) Olopade, BET9A wave of revolution in NNL (42,366 views) Commonwealth Games 2018: Shame of Muhammadu Buhari, Solomon Dalung (41,054 views) Ibrahimovic’s Man U exit: Whose decision is it? And in whose interest? (39,507 views) John Mikel Obi: Segun Odegbami’s Outrageous Call! (38,932 views)

 

Phone numbers

Tel: +234(0)8066020976
+234(0)8055068145
+234(0)7013416146
+234(0)8094272884

Email addresses

info@dailysportsng.com
support@dailysportsng.com
publisher@dailysportsng.com

Office address

No 3, Adetoun Close, Off College Road, Ogba, Ikeja Lagos.
Website: www.dailysportsng.com

Social Media