Number 10 Meets New Jersey; Observations from Lionel Messi’s MLS Debut with Inter Miami.

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HARRISON, N.J. – When it comes to professional athletes and entertainers, there are a select few famous enough to go by just a one name. Icons like Pele, Madonna, Kobe, and of course, Messi. On a swelteringly hot August Saturday at Red Bull Arena, the living legend finally made his Major League Soccer (MLS) league debut, recording a goal in a 2-0 win for Inter Miami CF.

But to simply mention his play on the field would be failing to recount the zany, passionate, and downright intense energy that surrounded Messi’s arrival, entrance, and tally, all the way through the end of the game and beyond.

At this stage of his career, with Ballon d’Ors, league titles, and a World Cup banked, Messi is less a player and more an icon, with fans flocking to catch a glimpse of his play before he one day hangs up the cleats forever. Bearing witness in an act of group devotion, with price being no object to entry.

As a result, the party started early – really early – with tailgaters out in the lots around Red Bull Arena well before 2:00 p.m. rolled in. After all, they had to get their money’s worth out of the day somehow.

Children kicked footballs, and sellers hawked Messi Inter Miami jerseys of rather dubious authenticity, along with posters, bucket hats, flags, and anything else they could slap his name and likeness on. Well outside the premises, one bar was offering a Messi shot, which for 10 dollars got you a mixture of casamigo, triple sec, and pineapple juice.

Make no mistake: it may have been Red Bull New York and Inter Miami going at it, but the attention was solely focused on one man and only one man.

Months earlier, when Messi officially announced his intent to play in MLS, ticket prices for his matches at Red Bull Arena and all across the league skyrocketed in price. For those who bought early, they were in. For those who came late to the party, the price was steep to get in.

Damn the cost, full speed ahead. Men, women, and kids were all drawn in by a chance to say that they saw one of the transcendent stars of his era hit the pitch. And with nowhere else to go, that energy began building even before the doors opened.

One man was walking around in a goat mask and black Inter Miami jersey. A woman strolling through the crowd was carrying Messi’s likeness carved into a watermelon, a feat she said took four hours to do. Fans lined up with Argentina, FC Barcelona, PSG, and Inter jerseys, all bearing his name. All bearing witness.

Once the doors opened, the crowd streamed in. As star-studded as the game was on-field, it was equally so in the stands, where Fat Joe, Carmelo Anthony, French Montana, Kristie Mewis, and Sam Kerr watched along with other celebs.

There was just one small problem for a majority of the 26,276 folks in attendance. Inter manager Tata Martino did not put Messi in his starting XI for the contest, leading to deafeningly loud “WE WANT MESSI” chants. Fans had to agonizingly wait until the 60th minute for a glimpse of the man they had come to see. But even in the limited time he had, the fans hung on his every move.

A loud roar went up when he and the rest of the subs went over to warm up. It got even louder when he got ready to check-in. As Messi entered the match, cheers built on cheers until the spot I was standing in for photography work became a wall of sound. Had there been a roof on Red Bull Arena at that moment, it would’ve been blown off.

The patience and faith of the crowd were rewarded in the 89th minute, with Messi dazzlingly playing the ball to Benjamin Cremaschi, who parlayed it back to Number 10 for a tap-in to a yawning net, putting the game away to the joy of most.

For the fans who plunked down their hard-earned dollars to attend, the night was well worth it, marking another stop on the traveling circus that has become Messi’s entrance into MLS. The crowd dispersed after the postgame fireworks show and began to clear.

As the night crept on into the early hours of the morning, a few hardy fans still hung around in the parking lot. Grills still sizzled, and police began to circle the lot, whooping sirens and flashing lights to clear the lingering diehards who remained behind, soaking in the atmosphere of a night they wouldn’t soon forget.

(This story originally ran on Bad Dawg Sports, and was published in September of 2023. Photo courtesy of the Bad Dawg Sports/Matthew Kass. Story by Matthew Kass.)