Lionel Messi in LA was a real Hollywood affair

If the phenomenon of Lionel Messi The craze needed some further confirmation, this weekend proved it again: not even the world stars of Hollywood can dim its shine.

In a city torn for election, it takes a lot to get Angelino sports fans on notice. In the Crypto.com Arena, where NBAThe LA Lakers and LeBron James play, fans often arrive late, skipping the relatively unimportant first quarter back and forth. To see Inter Miami beat MLS Cup holders LAFC 3-1 on Sunday night, BMO Stadium was buzzing before the players came out to warm up.

And it could have been full earlier if not for fans gathering outside waiting for the team bus to arrive. from MLS standards, every LAFC regular season game is a hot ticket – the club regularly sells out BMO Stadium’s listed capacity of 22,000 with a dedicated fan base that is the envy of most of the league. However, on this occasion, Messi’s traveling army of supporters outnumbered the home support, bringing a generous portion of the lively DRV PNK atmosphere wherever Miami travels.

On every corner outside the stadium, vendors hawked fake Miami jerseys with Messi and his iconic number 10 printed on the back. But even the demand for Messi’s shirt does not compare to the rush for a ticket. In the days leading up to the event, Gametime (a platform for selling last-minute tickets) reported that the lowest priced tickets were on the market for around $800 (£634), with the highest price on the market for more than 17,000 dollars. (£13,400) – the most expensive MLS regular season game on record.

With increased attention came an increase in security. A helicopter circled the stadium before the match and reappeared in the early stages, while there was a noticeable increase in police personnel on and off the pitch. even of Messi celebrity bodyguard Yassine Chueko was drawn into the action in the second half when a fan managed to evade security guards and run half the length of the pitch to touch his idol.

Messi was far from the only A-Lister in attendance: those in attendance to see the greatest of his generation in Los Angeles included LAFC part-owners Magic Johnson and Will Ferrell, as well as LeBron James, Selena Gomez, Owen Wilson, Leonardo DiCaprio and British royals Prince Harry and Meghan Markle , to name a few. Many other big names tried and failed to pull the strings to get a seat on the best ticket in the city, with the attendance recorded at 22,921 – a stadium record for football.

Prince Harry looks on from the stands (Harry How/Getty Images)

Despite being outnumbered by Messi’s supporters, 3252 – the LAFC supporters’ group – let Messi know that he would not be welcome from all sections of the stadium, letting out boos as he took to the pitch to start heating. The jeers continued in the early stages of the game, with the roar from the North End greeting Messi as he took his first few touches, leaving him under no illusions as to where the singer’s stand loyalties lie.

They should also have something to cheer about Denis Bouanga spurning two big chances inside 15 minutes, the second effort was brilliantly saved by the keeper Drake Callenderone of Miami’s standout players since Messi, Sergio Busquets AND Jordi Alba arrived at the MLS. As it turned out, LAFC was forced to break the deadlock soon after, with Miami’s Facundo Farias scoring with a sliding effort from the edge of the 18-yard box that the keeper John McCarthy could have done better with.

Messi-minded sections of the stadium – mostly wearing either Miami pink, Argentina’s blue and white or Barcelona’s ‘blaugrana’ – had to wait six minutes into the second half to see the Argentine forward come alive after McCarthy denied. his only chance to score in the first half. As they often did at the Camp Nou, left-back Jordi Alba made a darting run off the ball and into open space beyond Messi, who had picked up Busquets’ split midfield pass into a pocket of space in line with goal.

LAFC’s stadium saw the colors of Inter Miami, Argentina and Barcelona (Frederic J Brown/AFP via Getty Images)

Made to look so simple, the Argentine fed a pass to Alba, who dribbled past McCarthy and into the LAFC net for two, an increasingly predictable moment of serendipitous genius between European football’s legendary triumvirate and international.

“Nothing unusual. Nothing,” LAFC coach Steve Cherundolo said. “None of us should expect that from the best player in the world. What did you think he was going to do when he got here?”

Sergio Busquets ➡️ Messi ➡️ Jordi Alba@JordiAlba scores his first MLS regular season goal. pic.twitter.com/1PcOeCzlet

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) September 4, 2023

The highlight was set late in the road win with seven minutes remaining in regular time, when Messi notched his second assist of the game and fifth as a Miami player, sliding in. Leonardo Campana for the third of the evening in Miami. LAFC defender Ryan HollingsheadThe stoppage-time consolation goal took the shine off an accomplished performance from the field — which Miami manager Tata Martino described as Miami’s most complete since joining the head coach in June, given the quality of the opposition — but, again, Messi and Miami did it. the biggest stage.

Now, Messi turns his attention to Argentina, who open their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign with matches against Ecuador (home) and Bolivia (away). For Miami, the weight of the challenge to overcome their eight-point play-off gap has been transferred to the shoulders of Busquets and Alba as they wait. Sporting Kansas City in Fort Lauderdale next Saturday.

Ensuring his teammates hold the fort at the weekend, a Messi-inspired late charge to secure the most unlikely playoff spot feels more than possible.

(Main photo: Frederic J Brown/AFP via Getty Images)