Basketball great, LeBron James, tennis legend Serena Williams and US TV star Kim Kardashian, were in the 20,000-capacity crowd as Lionel Messi, scored in the fourth minute of added time to help his Major League Soccer side win the Leagues’ Cup tie.
Smoke bombs in Miami’s pink colour were let off behind the goal at the DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale as some fans ran on to the pitch to celebrate Messi’s goal, before being led away by security.
It continued the party atmosphere started on Sunday, when Messi was officially unveiled to fans in front of another capacity crowd in south Florida.
The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner only trained with his team-mates for the first time on Tuesday after moving to the MLS following the end of his contract at Paris St-Germain.
Messi scored 32 goals in 75 games during a two-year spell with the French champions after leaving Barcelona, and turned down lucrative offers from other countries to play in the US.
This was the first time he had turned out for a non-European club side, but was joined by a familiar face as he and former Barca team-mate Sergio Busquets came on as part of a 54th-minute triple substitution.
Spain defender Jordi Alba has also made the switch from the Nou Camp, and will be available to play against Atlanta United in the Leagues Cup on Tuesday.
The cup competition between sides in the MLS and Mexico’s LIGA MX marks a fresh start for Inter Miami, who are bottom of the MLS table without a win in 11 games.
Messi was on his feet with the rest of the bench to celebrate Robert Taylor’s 44th-minute opener for the home side, but Cruz Azul’s Uriel Antuna had not read the script, cancelling out Inter Miami’s lead with 25 minutes remaining.
But Argentina’s World Cup winner provided the Hollywood ending as Messi was brought down by Carlos Salcedo for a free-kick just outside the box in the final seconds, in ideal range for his famous left foot.
And he delivered perfectly, curling the ball high to the right of goalkeeper Andres Gudino and into the top corner.
