Messi's Signature Free Kick Secures Inter Miami's Historic Win

Lionel Messi dazzled fans by netting his initial goal in the expanded Club World Cup on Thursday through an iconic free kick. This remarkable strike clinched a historic 2-1 victory for Inter Miami over the seasoned European champions, FC Porto. The game witnessed one of the tournament’s biggest attractions, Messi, being fouled just outside the penalty zone by Rodrigo Mora during a sprint down the field’s center.

Amid a charged atmosphere at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium, where chants of “Messi!” reverberated, Messi’s deft left-footed kick soared over the Porto defense and nestled into the net’s top right corner in the 54th minute.

Following a lackluster goalless opening draw against Egypt’s Al Ahly, this triumphant victory was vital for Miami’s chances to advance to the knockout stages.

“The whole team gave an outstanding effort,” Messi expressed to DAZN. “We not only defended with resilience but also handled the ball skillfully. The tie with Al Ahly left us yearning for more. Securing this victory is crucial, and we’ll savor it.

“Our competitive spirit is evident; we stood our ground against a formidable team, despite some initial struggles. The young players were understandably nervous in their first experience of this competition.”

Inter Miami found themselves trailing 1-0 at halftime after Samu Aghehowa scored a penalty early on, thanks to a video review decision, marking Porto’s first tournament goal.

However, Telasco Segovia equalized just two minutes into the second half, capitalizing on a cross from Marcelo Weigandt. Then came the moment for the 37-year-old Argentine legend to shine.

Messi’s decisive goal marked a milestone for Miami, becoming the first Concacaf team to defeat a European side in a FIFA international club competition. It also celebrated Messi’s 50th goal for Miami across all contests in just 61 appearances.