Lionel Messi responds to backlash after sitting out of a game in Hong Kong
Lionel Messi has responded to a backlash from Chinese fans and media after his non-appearance at a February 4 Inter Miami friendly in Hong Kong.
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — The stage is set, and the wait is over.
Lionel Messi and Inter Miami’s highly anticipated 2024 MLS season kicks off tonight against Real Salt Lake at the newly named Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Messi and his close friends Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba have rejoined forces after their days leading Barcelona to glory for a new journey together with Inter Miami.
And the stakes are high for Messi and Inter Miami this season.
Inter Miami’s quest to winning four potential championships begins in the season opener.
“Hopefully, we can win all of them. That’s the idea.” Alba said Tuesday of the Concacaf Champions Cup, Leagues Cup, U.S. Open Cup — if Inter Miami participates — and MLS Cup in 2024.
Lionel Messi set up the sequence. Luis Suarez delivered the assist. And Diego Gomez ended the sequence with a score in the 83rd minute.
Inter Miami takes a 2-0 lead, with Gomez, Suarez and Messi all hugging after the sequence as fireworks erupted at Chase Stadium.
Sure, Inter Miami was leading in the match already. But the time between goals and the challenges they faced before reaching the back of the net again.
Brayan Vera’s header was punched away by Inter Miami goalie Drake Callendar, following a corner kick.
It was a big-time save for Inter Miami’s goalie.
Messi tripped, but no foul: Inter Miami 1, RSL 0
Messi received a pass with a head of steam down the middle, and was tripped up by a defender.
No foul or yellow card. It was offside.
Messi passed it to Robert Taylor, who made sure to return the favor back to Messi in the sequence. Instead of taking a shot, Messi was grounded.
Messi’s shot toward the net was deflected by the face of RSL’s Brayan Vera, ending a hectic sequence where about seven Inter Miami players passed the ball following a corner kick.
The sequence ended in a offside, while Inter Miami had a case for a handball by RSL.
Still, Inter Miami is hanging onto a 1-0 lead in their season opener.
Leo Messi dribbled between several defenders, and ran out wide to the left side to deliver the perfect pass.
Messi turned around and delivered a floating pass to Julian Gressel, who could not finish the prime opportunity in the back of the net.
It was nearly another highlight assist from Messi.
The second half is underway, and Inter Miami is lucky after a strike by Real Salt Lake. RSL’s Andres Gomez stoles a ball from Messi and Sergio Busquets, and his strike missed just outside the right side of the net.
Messi also complained about some contact on the other end, but to no avail.
Two minutes later, Inter Miami had another giveaway that was deflected by Julian Gressel.
Lionel Messi just delivered one of those sequences where his excellence was awe-inspiring.
Messi dribbled the ball with a chip over the laying body of Real Salt Lake’s Andrew Brody, who was down on the pitch after getting his hand stepped on inadvertently. Messi’s shot was deflected by another RSL defender.
But Messi’s touch with the football, and his ability to quickly maneuver in space was in prime form. He even smiled after realizing what he did. Brody eventually walked off the pitch as play continued in extra time of the first half.
Inter Miami has scored its first goal in 2024, and you can thank Lionel Messi for the assist.
Messi found Robert Taylor streaking toward the net, and Taylor connected hard enough to get past the goalie’s stretched arms and into the left side of the net.
It’s Inter Miami 1, Real Salt Lake after the goal in the 39th minute. Here’s the highlight:
Messi received a pass inside the penalty area, but it appeared he wasn’t ready for the chip shot. He knocked his head back in disgust after the sequence.
Earlier in the minute, Jordi Alba missed just wide to the right after connecting with a pass from Messi’s corner kick.
Pablo Ruiz was shown a yellow card for a foul on Lionel Messi in the 17th minute, setting up the best chance on goal so far. Messi’s free kick from 30 yards away was on goal, but a heads-up play by Justen Glad prevented a goal.
Chicho Arango is an absolute bulldog in front of goal, and he nearly had a chance to break the scoreless deadlock in the 14th minute.
Inter Miami’s goalkeeper Drake Callender snuffed out the threat and prevented a rare early moment of attack from RSL from turning into a shot on goal.
RSL has been sloppy in possession to start the game, but Inter Miami has not been able to capitalize against their nervy opponents.
Inter Miami completed 62 passes (to RSL’s 21) while enjoying 62% of the possession through the first 10 minutes of play.
Inter Miami’s lone corner kick did not result in a legitimate shot on goal.
MLS Season Pass on Apple TV will stream the Inter Miami vs. Real Salt Lake season kickoff match.
Actor, rapper and producer Will Smith was seen on the field talking to Inter Miami co-owner (and legendary former soccer player) David Beckham.
Inter Miami’s power quartet of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba are all in the starting lineup for the season opener against Real Salt Lake. For Suarez, this is his first MLS start.
Here is the starting 11 for Real Salt Lake as it attempts to extend a 14-game unbeaten streak in MLS opening weekend games:
Inter Miami is the favorite to win tonight’s match with -175 moneyline odds, according to BETMGM. Real Salt Lake is a +400 underdog, while a tie is +340.
Lionel Messi (adductor) and Luis Suarez (knee), who were both hampered by injury in Hong Kong earlier this month, are healthy and fit to play the full 90 minutes if necessary, Inter Miami coach Tata Martino said Tuesday.
“They’re playing and they’re ready to play,” Martino said during a news conference. “If they’re required to play 90 minutes, we’re going to look at it always depending on the need of the team.”
Lionel Messi fans can find their Messi fix on Apple TV+ and Apple Music.
The documentary “Messi’s World Cup: The Rise of a Legend” debuted late Tuesday on Apple TV+ in time for the start of the MLS season.
Messi and Apple Music also released a music playlist Tuesday, titled “Messi: The Warm-Up.”
MLS Season Pass on Apple TV will also broadcast every MLS game this season.
Apple also debuted its new Apple Sports App on Wednesday.
“Messi: The Warm-Up” was unveiled on Apple Music with the favorite pre-match songs of the soccer G.O.A.T. The playlist included artists such as Bad Bunny, Peso Pluma, Rihanna and Grupo Frontera.
Major League Soccer is having its moment again in the United States, and you can thank Lionel Messi for that. This will be Messi’s first full season with the team after joining last summer, and captivating fans by leading the club to a Leagues Cup title a month after his arrival. The expectations are even higher in 2024.
But fans need to temper their expectations of how much they’ll see Messi play — if they see him at all — with a grueling schedule ahead for the 36-year-old star.
Major League Soccer locked out referees after its union rejected a tentative contract, putting Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami on track to open the season with replacement officials.
The Professional Soccer Referees Association said Saturday that 95.8% voted against a tentative agreement with the Professional Referee Organization, which supplies match officials to MLS, the NWSL and some lower-tier leagues.
MLS used replacement officials for the first two weeks of its 2014 season before reaching a five-year contract after the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service entered talks.
Andrés Salerno never thought his Lionel Messi customized sneakers would go viral. And he never thought he would get the chance to make a pair, and give them directly to his soccer idol. What started as a passion project and turned into a viral moment led to an opportunity of a lifetime for Salerno, who was born in Buenos Aires.
Lionel Messi posted a video Monday on one of the largest social media platforms in China, to dispel “false stories” he did not play in Hong Kong earlier this month due to “political reasons and many other reasons that are totally untrue.”
Messi, the Inter Miami star, reaffirmed his reasoning to not play in Inter Miami’s sold-out preseason friendly game against a group of Hong Kong all-stars in Hong Kong Stadium on Feb. 4 due to an adductor injury.
Messi, Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham and the team were serenaded with boos by fans, one day after Messi lightly participated in a training session at the venue.
Inter Miami was not exactly an elite MLS team in 2023. In fact, they were outside the playoff bubble for most of the season. However, in 2024, they are the favorites to win the MLS Cup.
Even if Lionel Messi remains healthy, Miami won’t just waltz into MLS Cup. They’ll have to contend with a myriad of great teams such as last year’s winners, Columbus Crew SC, and last year’s runner-up, Los Angeles FC.
Here are the 2024 MLS Cup favorites, courtesy of BetMGM:
- Inter Miami (+250)
- Los Angeles FC (+800)
- Columbus Crew (+900)
- FC Cincinnati (+1200)
- Philadelphia Union (+1400)
- New York Red Bulls (+1600)
- Seattle Sounders (+1600)
- Orlando City SC (+2000)
- Atlanta United (+2200)
Lionel Messi Mania will be far from the only intriguing story to follow in MLS this season. From replacement referees to the prospects of some USMNT hopefuls to the Columbus Crew’s repeat chances, there will be plenty to follow in 2024.
Argentina has qualified for men’s football at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. And, with that, there will be questions about whether Lionel Messi will want to try to add another Olympic gold medal to his extensive collection of awards.
“The door is open for a player like him to join us,” said Argentina coach Javier Mascherano, a close friend of Messi and title-winning teammate at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. “Then it depends on him and his commitments.”
Mascherano also was teammates with Messi when Argentina won gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Group stage play for men’s soccer at the 2024 Olympics starts on Wednesday, July 24. The gold-medal match will be held Friday, July 9.
That schedule would mean Messi might not miss any MLS games. However, he would miss significant time with Inter Miami as it attempts to defend its Leagues Cup title.
(All games available to stream on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.)
- Feb. 21, vs. Real Salt Lake, 8 p.m. ET
- Feb. 25, at Los Angeles Galaxy, 8:30 p.m. ET
- March 2, vs. Orlando City, 4:30 p.m. ET (FOX)
- March 7, at Nashville SC/Moca winner, 9 p.m. ET (Concacaf Champions League)
- March 10, vs. CF Montréal, 5 p.m. ET
- March 13, vs. Nashville SC/Moca winner, 8:15 p.m. ET (Concacaf Champions League)
- March 16, at D.C. United, 2 p.m. ET
- March 23, at New York Red Bulls, 2 p.m. ET
- March 30, vs. New York City FC, 7:30 p.m. ET
- April 6, vs. Colorado Rapids, 7:30 p.m. ET
- April 13, at Sporting Kansas City, 8:30 p.m. ET
- April 20, vs. Nashville SC, 7:30 p.m. ET
- April 27, at New England Revolution, 7:30 p.m. ET
➤ Inter Miami’s complete 2024 schedule
For the first time in the club’s short history, Inter Miami CF will be competing in the Concacaf Champions Cup.
The Concacaf Champions Cup — formerly known as the Concacaf Champions League — is the annual continental competition among clubs from North America, Central America, and the Caribbean.
The winner of the Concacaf Champions Cup will qualify for the FIFA Club World Cup. The expanded, 32-team 2025 FIFA Club World Cup will take place in the U.S. from June 15-July 13, 2025. One MLS team — the Seattle Sounders — has qualified for the tournament by virtue of its 2022 Concacaf Champions League win.
This year’s competition started on Feb. 6. The final will take place on June 2.
Inter Miami will enter the competition during the Round of 16, with its first game on March 7. It will play the winner of the Round 1 matchup between Nashville SC and Moca FC, a team from the Dominican Republic.
How MLS teams qualified for 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup:
Every team in the league will be sporting at least one new kit for the new campaign. Take a look at the new jerseys for the 2024 season.
- Feb. 21: Season opener, Inter Miami vs. Real Salt Lake
- Feb. 24-25: MLS is Back weekend
- May 11-18: Rivalry week
- July 24: MLS All-Star Game, in Columbus, Ohio
- July 26-Aug. 25: Leagues Cup
- Oct. 19: Final day of regular season (MLS Decision Day)
- Dec. 7: MLS Cup
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Daniel Miller is a sports fanatic who lives and breathes athletics. His coverage spans from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis for sports enthusiasts.
