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'Superstar' Lionel Messi led Inter Miami to its first win of the Club World Cup with a free-kick come-from-behind goal.
Messi's Inter Miami scored the first goal of the penalty kick to Samu Aguejoa in the 8th minute of the first half against Porto in the FIFA Club World Cup held at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta on the 20th (Korea time), but scored two goals in the second half to create a reversal drama. Following Marcelo Weigant's cross in the second minute of the second half, Telasco Segovia's shot shook the net and balanced it, and Messi turned the game around with a unique left-footed shot that crossed the wall and slotted the ball into the upper right blind spot in the 9th minute of the second half. At the age of 37, he scored 50 goals in his career in Inter Miami with a thrilling come-from-behind goal. It was Messi's 68th direct free kick goal. Man of the Match (MOM) was a given.
Messi moved to MLS Inter Miami after scoring 21 goals in 41 games for Paris Saint-Germain in the 2022-2023 season. At the end of his career, Messi, who chose to go to the U.S. for his family amid an evaluation that the MLS level was clearly different from that of the European big leagues, scored 50 goals in 61 games in Inter Miami. At the Club World Cup held in the United States, Messi showed his ability to enthusiastic fans with his rusty skills.
Messi scored his sixth goal of the tournament, chasing Cristiano Ronaldo (7 goals), who tied for second place along with Gareth Bale and Kareem Benzema, by just one goal in the number of goals scored in the Club World Cup history.
Soccer experts and fans poured out praise for Messi in unison after the game. DAZN commentator Shai Given "Messi can do both. You can send it to the goalkeeper, or you can send it to the other side. It's hard for the goalkeeper to react because he speeds up the ball tremendously. Lionel Messi's play is amazing. Considering his age, could he still do it?' I want to, but of course I can! 'He wants to prove to the world that he is still scoring goals."
Former Portugal and Southampton defender Jose Ponte "It's natural. Lionel Messi understands every minute of the game. His determination is 99 percent accurate. He still has a change of pace. We've seen him sprint, and we still have a speed change that anyone can beat. We can expect good competition, we can expect Messi's magic in this Club World Cup," he praised.
One fan posted on social media, "He's amazing! Messi is from another star! We must give him the Ballon d'Or." One fan commented "Messie is a phenomenon, not a human being. He raved about the events of the universe, the alignment of stars once in a lifetime, the cosmic masterpiece sculpted by the soccer gods themselves, while another fan commented "When he moves, it's not just a movement. It's a poem. All his dribbles, all his passes, all his goals, all his touches are poetry."Miami won the MLS Supporters Shield to qualify for the Club World Cup and made history for its first win after drawing 0-0 with Al Ahli in the opening match of the tournament. Ahead of the final group match against Palmeiras (4 points) in the group on the 23rd, he is in second place in the group with a three-point lead over Porto (one point) and Al Ahli (one point).
Reporter Jeon Young-ji sky4us@sportschosun.com
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
