Everyone in attendance at the Red Bull Arena on Saturday night was there to see one man and one man only.
Gerardo Martino teased supporters as Inter Miami resumed their previously disastrous MLS campaign in New York, but his decision to rest 36-year-old Lionel Messi as a starter after the Herons' successful Leagues Cup run was probably wise.
Nevertheless, with Miami 1-0 up and the hosts in Harrison, New Jersey pushing to restore parity, Martino eventually appeased supporters by introducing the greatest to ever do it on the hour, with thousands of flashlights manifesting in a bid to capture the moment.
Messi certainly didn't disappoint those, some of which had paid mammoth prices just to see him in action, as he opened his MLS account to seal Inter Miami's triumph. It was a sequence that was all about his initial pass for Benjamin Cremaschi, whose return pass allowed an unmarked Messi to tap home.
The Herons' victory lifted them off the foot of the table in the Eastern Conference, and they'll undoubtedly have their sights on an unlikely playoff berth during the second half of the season.
Here's when Messi's Miami are next in action.
When do Inter Miami and Lionel Messi play next?
Fortunately, we don't have to wait very long until Messi is next in action, and you can bet your bottom dollar that Martino will use his cheat code from the outset this time around.
Inter Miami next take on Nashville in MLS on Wednesday 30 August (early Thursday morning for those in Europe). The recently established franchise were already recently slain by Messi's side in the final of the 2023 Leagues Cup.
A Messi stunner gave Miami the lead in that match, but Nashville equalised in the second half and forced the game to penalties, which the Herons won 10-9.
While Miami's win on Sunday saw them move up to 15th in the East with 21 points, Nashville sit seventh in the Conference and are 17 points ahead of their upcoming opponents.
Is Lionel Messi going to miss any Inter Miami matches?
Inter Miami will have to make do without their superstar while he joins the Argentina national team for their upcoming fixtures during the September international break.
La Albiceleste have a pair of 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Ecuador on 8 September and Bolivia on 13 September.
As a result, Messi will not be available for Inter Miami's MLS clash against Sporting KC on 10 September and his status for the clash against Atlanta United on 16 September will be in doubt. He will, however, be available for the Herons' US Open final against Houston Dynamo on 27 September.
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This article was originally published on 90min as Lionel Messi and Inter Miami's next game after MLS debut.
