Was it destiny?
Inter Miami CF co-owner David Beckham believes Lionel Messi’s forever iconic moment, a walk-off free kick in the 94th minute of his debut, may have been written in the stars.
“To be honest, as soon as I saw the free kick given, I thought: ‘This is the way it’s meant to end,’” Beckham told MLS Season Pass sideline reporter Katie Witham after Friday night’s incredible 2-1 victory over Liga MX's Cruz Azul in the club’s Leagues Cup opener.
“Especially when you’ve got players like Leo and Sergio \[Busquets\] on the pitch – that’s what they produce. It’s so exciting tonight for our fans. All of these people that have come down here to see Leo just step onto the pitch, let alone just do what he’s done.”
Messi’s first action in Major League Soccer arrived sooner than many anticipated, subbing on in the 54th minute and taking the captain’s armband. Then, after getting fouled deep into second-half stoppage time, Messi stood over the ball like he’s done hundreds, if not thousands, of times in his GOAT-status career.
The rest, sparked by the Argentine superstar’s magical left foot, is history.
“Tonight’s a dream come true for everybody in this stadium to see, and everybody in this country, to see Leo step into the MLS and perform,” Beckham said. “I don’t have many words for that.”
Beckham was overcome with emotion after the goal, jumping in celebration with his family while watching from the DRV PNK Stadium sidelines. And it capped a whirlwind week for the club, announcing Messi’s arrival last Saturday before hosting a party-like unveiling on Sunday, all while bringing two more FC Barcelona legends in Busquets and Jordi Alba to South Beach as well.
For Beckham, whose 2007 arrival to the LA Galaxy helped kickstart a massive period of growth on and off the field in MLS, nights like these are validating. It’s a real-time movie, one he hopes doesn’t end any time soon.
“Tonight is about the people, it's about this. This is what we always saw as our vision, me and Jorge [Mas] and Jose [Mas] and the club. This is what we saw,” said Beckham, referencing his fellow owners.
“This is such a special night for us, for our families, for everyone that's in the stadium, for you guys. It is such a moment for this country, it's such a moment for this league. It's a very proud moment for us.”
