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Inside Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami debut…a god in Southern Florida

Amidst the fervor of Lionel Messi’s MLS debut with Inter Miami, it was funny to recall that this Leagues Cup kickoff had been set long before he had announced his intentions to come to America—and that, however small their numbers, there would be fans attending the match who had simply intended to show up to support Cruz Azul.

“When I heard they were coming I thought, Oh, I’ll just buy tickets later on,” Diana del Valle, a supporter for the Liga MX club, admitted when we chatted in the DRV PNK Stadium stands in Ft. Lauderdale. She did, albeit at a substantially higher price than anticipated: Inter Miami tickets haven’t exactly been hot ones over the club’s time in the league, the club’s middling-at-best performance and temporary stadium located well outside of the city hardly providing incentive for the city to show out. But that changed immediately upon the news of Messi’s signing. Resale tickets to the Cruz Azul faceoff were rumored to be selling for tens of thousands of dollars, with some tickets listed in the six-figure range.

For everyone in attendance, it was worth the money. Cruz Azul may be del Valle’s club, but she’s been a fan of Messi long enough to have once flown to Barcelona to see him play at the club’s legendary 100,000-capacity Camp Nou. On Friday she joined a crowd of merely 20,000 to see the greatest soccer player of all time take the pitch in a makeshift stadium with fold-out bleachers 45 minutes from Miami’s bustling center. From billion-dollar sportswear brands to hometown fans, the collective consensus seemed to be that whatever credit card charges racked up for this were next week’s problems.

The club’s loyal fanbase, however, had little to worry about. Like most MLS clubs, Inter Miami boasts a loyal and fervent band of supporter squads that show out for every game—and almost certainly had their tickets locked in long before Messi’s arrival to the States. A couple hundred fans flocked to Domino Park in Little Havana the day before the match at the height of South Beach’s midday heat and humidity. They banged drums and shouted along to the club’s signature chants and songs, almost all of which are performed in Spanish. Chris Moramarco, one of the founders of supporter squad Vice City 1896, confessed that this moment validated years spent building a community around a team that hadn’t so much as played a scrimmage. “At first people didn’t know what we were lining up to do. There was no team, no colors, no logo. But we were there,” he explained.

“We’d heard for years [Messi] might be coming but we had our doubts it was ever going to happen.” Even after seeing him in the stadium the Sunday prior for his contract signing, Moramarco admits, he didn’t think it would sink in until he took the field for the first time. In just a day’s time, the club’s faithful would finally be rewarded.

Shocks of neon pink and black, the club’s official colors, littered the streets and beaches alike as fans flocked in on relatively short notice for the match. Billboards and bus signs bearing the simple image of the GOAT in his new hot pink jersey, with MESSI spray-painted across the graphic, were littered throughout the town. Those same jerseys flew off the racks of Adidas and Inter Miami team stores across town rapidly.

Online orders caused an unprecedented surge in demand so severe Adidas now may be fulfilling backlogged sales through October. There are worse positions to be in than stocking the hottest jersey in professional sports, though, and the brand celebrated their signature athlete’s arrival in town with a bombastic oceanfront stunt involving a shipping barge, helicopters, speedboats, and yachts.

But before there was a press conference or a contract signing or even so much as an Instagram post from Inter Miami (whose follower count ballooned from 1 million to 12 million in days after it was revealed Messi would join the club), there was Publix.

Last week, GOAT was spotted in the popular Florida grocery chain–a destination for cheap beach toys, spray-on sunscreen, and the store’s signature PubSub sandwich. He was, by all accounts, largely left alone as he browsed the aisles with his family and let his kids pick out some cereal. A few selfies were taken. He did not order a PubSub.

It is as fitting a public debut as a Florida athlete could have. Miami, for all its allure as a beachfront playground, is still Florida, and if you are a Floridian you must go to Publix. And now—as unlikely as it seems—Lionel Messi is officially a Floridian.

And on Friday night, he made his debut as an MLS player. The Florida sun dove past the western skyline as fans filed into the bleachers, the option to arrive late for the 8PM kickoff not an option. Becky G performed the national anthem as LeBron, Kim Kardashian, and Serena Williams greeted the GOAT near the bench.

Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham sat pitchside with his family. Several of the most famous people in the world had congregated in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida on a Friday night for this.

It must be noted here that Inter Miami is…bad. They’re very bad. When Messi signed his contract, they were in last place in the MLS Eastern Conference. It’s not news, either—this is a section of the standings they’ve occupied since their debut.

The team frequently looked adrift in the first half of the match ahead of their new forward’s debut. The heroics of goaltender Drake Callender saved the team from disaster, keeping a 1-0 lead at the half.

And then, nine minutes into the second half, Lionel Messi took the field. He did so in a round of substitutions that included his longtime Barcelona brother Sergio Busquets, who joined Miami with Messi after nearly 500 appearances with his home club. The long-simmering tension in the crowd finally boiled over, Cruz Azul fans joining Miami’s in rapturous applause. Two minutes later Messi’s first substantial push upfield garnered the sort of crowd response usually reserved for postseason buzzer beaters.

It is hard to say if Miami became substantially better when Messi’s boots touched the pitch. What was instantly notable was the degree to which the team settled into a sense of calm. The GOAT drove towards the goal and made attempts when the moments presented themselves, but he spent much of his time on the field setting up plays for his teammates.

Given the context, it was hard not to think of Messi’s accomplishments: Four-time winner of the Champions League. Ten La Liga titles. Seven Ballon d’Or trophies, given to the best soccer player in the world every year. Three Club World Cups and seven Copa del Rey trophies, plus an Olympic gold medal. And just last summer, one spectacular World Cup win that rendered most any argument against his status as the greats of all time moot.

What’s left? Well, lifting a struggling team out of the basement in the American soccer league—and lifting that league out of its own basement in the process—would count as an accomplishment.

What he accomplishes in Miami will have ramifications throughout Major League Soccer. The club’s success is the league’s success. He no longer competes for a cup but rather creation, for a new era of football built in his shadow, if not his image (at 36 years old, he can hardly have an MLS run of the same length as his time at Barcelona). To simply win is the work of mortals. The divine are in the business of genesis.

And spectacle. With the match tied up in two minutes of stoppage time, he secured a free kick. Lionel Messi lined up behind the ball, and sent it curving toward the goal. As it did 474 times in his days at Barcelona, the ball found the back of the net. After briefly celebrating with his new teammates, he ran to the sidelines to hug his children. Stoppage time ran out. The match was over. Beckham shed a tear. Messi smiled. There is much to be done in Southern Florida. Lionel Messi is ready to get to work.

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Garnacho’s Partner Unfollows Him Amid Split Rumors

Alejandro Garnacho’s girlfriend , the mother of his child, has unfollowed him on Instagram amid fresh rumours of a split.

The Manchester United exile has recently been spotted with Spanish influencer Ona Gonfaus, the women who was allegedly at the centre of a dispute between the couple last year.

Garnacho’s partner Eva Garcia unfollowed him on that occasion before they publicly reconciled when pictures of their romantic family holiday together in Tenerife surfaced.

However, 12 months on, it appears their relationship is again on the rocks, with GSM HQ alleging that Garnacho and Gonfaus shared a caravan together during a recent trip.

The outlet also revealed that Garcia – mother to Garnacho’s one-year-old son Enzo – has signalled a rift in their union.

The news comes as the 20-year-old faces an uncertain future at his club, with United boss Ruben Amorim keen to see the forward depart after a rift at the end of last season.

Alejandro Garnacho’s girlfriend , the mother of his child, has unfollowed him on Instagram amid fresh rumours of infidelity.

The Argentina international has been linked with Serie A champions Napoli, who had a £40million bid rejected for him in January. United are thought to be holding out for more than £50m.

This week, Napoli president Aurelio Di Laurentiis announced his side’s renewed interest and took as swipe at the Old Trafford club’s youth development.

‘Garnacho’s got pace, flair and potential,’ Di Laurentiis said. ‘But that’s not even why we want him.

‘We want him because he’s at United. Get him out and he becomes twice the player. There’s a fault at United that I can’t explain.’

A move to Napoli could be a tantalising prospect for Garnacho, not least because they can offer him Champions League football.

It would also offer the chance to reunite with former United team-mate Scott McTominay, who has been loving life out in Italy, becoming a fan-favourite and title winner.

Garnacho’s time is all but up at Old Trafford after a cataclysmic fall-out with Amorim, which resulted in the manager telling him ‘you better pray that you can find a club to sign you,’ as exclusively revealed by Mail Sport.

In June, the winger sparked anger after opting to wear an Aston Villa shirt with Marcus Rashford’s name on it while on holiday in Ibiza.

Garnacho was told to leave United just days after their Europa League final defeat by Tottenham in Bilbao.

The Argentinian winger had been unhappy to be left on the bench for more than 70 minutes of the final, while his brother Roberto had accused Amorim of ‘throwing him under the bus’ in Bilbao.

Dailymail.co.uk

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#NoToMadueke: Why Arsenal Fans Are Protesting

The news Arsenal are closing in on a deal to sign winger Noni Madueke from Chelsea for just over £50m has prompted a backlash from some Gunners fans.

A petition has been set up and signed more than 4,000 times, #NoToMadueke has gained traction on X, and murals outside the club’s Emirates Stadium have been vandalised with ‘Arteta out’.

At 23, Madueke is already an England international, so why are some so against his signing?

What are the fans saying?
Arsenal have signed six players from Chelsea in recent years – and Madueke will be the second this transfer window after goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga. Some fans believe the club should be chasing what they perceive to be ‘bigger’ names.

The Gunners have, for example, been linked with Real Madrid winger Rodrygo and Crystal Palace attacker Eberechi Eze.

Responding to a post on our Arsenal page, Gunners fan Steve said: “It’s underwhelming, really. A lot of money for a back-up player. He won’t be a first-team choice over [Bukayo] Saka on the right and [Gabriel] Martinelli on the left.

“They should have got a cheaper back-up player and used the excess money to seal the [Viktor] Gyokeres deal.

“I think the other thing about this is that some Arsenal fans were hoping to get Rodrygo. This is now not happening as Arsenal don’t have the money to spend.

“Is Madueke that sort of player that will win you the Prem? No, Rodrygo is, which is why there is disappointment in the ranks at Arsenal.”

Andrew – a season ticket holder – said there was a difference between match-going fans and those on social media.

“The key word is ‘online’,” Andrew said. “These people signing petitions aren’t Arsenal fans. They live in some parallel fantasy universe on social media where football is viewed like a video game.

“I’m a season ticket holder, and people who go to games believe in Arteta and trust his judgement because he’s usually right.

“Madueke might not be an exciting signing now, but he could prove to be a very good one.

“[Nico] Williams was never coming, Rodrygo is a waste of money, [Anthony] Gordon is overrated and I don’t think this affects Eze. We’ll see how it all works out.”

Will, meanwhile, thinks a lot of the frustration is around the money Arsenal are going to be paying to Chelsea.

“I reckon over half the fans don’t think Madueke is a bad player. It’s just the nature of the deal – £50m for a player who is going to sit on the bench behind Saka or look out of place on the left wing seems like poor business – particularly when this feels like a make-or-break season for major silverware.

“It’s also that the money is going to Chelsea.”

Where could Madueke play?
Madueke is part of Chelsea’s Club World Cup squad, and came on as a substitute as they reached the final by beating Brazilian side Fluminense 2-0.

He joined the Blues from PSV Eindhoven in January 2023 for £30m and has scored 20 goals in 92 appearances.

Madueke was in the Tottenham academy before moving to the Netherlands in 2018.

He plays predominantly on the right, with 88% of his Premier League minutes having come on a side of the pitch that is dominated by Saka at Arsenal.

Saka, 23, started 108 of 114 league matches from 2021-22 to 2023-24 but missed three months of last season because of a hamstring inury.

Madueke would be a capable option as back-up to Saka but can also play on the left.

He was one of England’s standout performers in the recent international break and his assist from the left for Harry Kane’s winning goal against Andorra was one of three in his first seven matches.

Madueke also started four of the Blues’ final five Premier League matches of the season on that side – plus the Conference League final – and he could be direct competition for Martinelli there.

Why he can be a success at Arsenal
Madueke is seen by Arsenal as a good fit, as someone who has played consistent trophy-winning first-team football over the past two seasons.

He has settled well on the international stage and, at 23, there is a feeling he will continue to develop and also increase his value.

There is, obviously, an awareness that Arsenal have signed players from Chelsea in the past but there are success stories within those deals.

Forward Kai Havertz has become vital to the Gunners, midfielder Jorginho was one of Arteta’s most trusted leaders within the squad, and Kepa has joined after an impressive season at Bournemouth.

Sources around Arsenal say the initial fee for Madueke is under £50m – less than Newcastle’s move for Anthony Elanga and Tottenham signing Mohammed Kudus.

How does Madueke compare to Arsenal’s wingers?
When looking at the stats, you can see why Arteta might be excited about the prospect of signing Madueke.

His expected goals (9.6), his number of shots (80), touches in the opposition box (199) and progressive carries with the ball (242) were all higher than Martinelli and Saka in the Premier League last season.

Saka only played in 25 league matches compared to Madueke’s 32, so it is a fairer comparison with Martinelli, who played 33 times.

Madueke also contributed a combined 10 goals and assists to Chelsea last season and could boost Arsenal’s much-criticised attack.

Injuries plagued Arteta’s side last season and they ended the season with limited options in attack as they fell away in the title race.

Madueke is one of the most direct wingers in the league and Arsenal, who mainly play against teams who defend deep against them, could benefit from his eagerness to beat his defender and get a shot at goal.

Bbc.com

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Bernabeu To Host 2030 World Cup Final

According to Jose Felix Diaz’s report in MARCA, the iconic Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid is expected to host the final of the 2030 FIFA World Cup, following an agreement reached between FIFA and Real Madrid.

While the decision has not yet been made official, sources close to the situation have confirmed that the deal is in place.

The 2030 World Cup will be a historic one, as it will be jointly hosted by Morocco, Portugal, and Spain. Within Spain, cities like A Coruna, Barcelona, Bilbao, Las Palmas, Madrid, Málaga, San Sebastian, Sevilla, and Zaragoza are set to host matches.

But when it comes to the grand finale, the Santiago Bernabeu has emerged as the frontrunner.

FIFA’s strong working relationship with Real Madrid has been a key factor in this decision. Over the years, both entities have shared a smooth and cooperative partnership, and this latest development is another sign of their growing alignment.

Camp Nou bid weakened

Santiago Bernabeu is expected to host the 2030 FIFA World Cup final. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)
Barcelona had also put forward their own bid to host the final at the newly renovated Spotify Camp Nou.

Club vice-president Elena Fort had officially stated last month that Barcelona’s home stadium deserves the honour of staging the World Cup final, saying,

“Everyone has the right to play their cards, but the Camp Nou is worthy of hosting the final of a World Cup.”

However, the project to complete the new Camp Nou has faced multiple delays and uncertainties, which appear to have weakened the city’s bid.

Though the World Cup is still five years away, FIFA is said to be prioritising infrastructure stability and readiness, areas where Madrid currently holds the upper hand.

With Real Madrid’s renovated Bernabeu already hosting high-profile matches and events successfully, and with its central location and modern facilities, it now looks set to welcome the biggest match in world football come 2030.

Madriduniversal.com

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