Eight-time Ballon d’Or award winner Lionel Messi shares some glimpses from his first Major League Soccer (MLS) playoff on social media.
According to CNN, Messi played his debut MLS match against Atlanta United on Friday, October 25, 2024, at Chase Stadium. Inter Miami defeated Atlanta by 2-1 to begin its best-of-three first-round series of the MLS playoffs with a win.
The 37-year-old did not succeed in netting the ball in his first playoff, but former Barcelona teammates Luis Suárez and Jordi Alba scored goals to claim a win in the playoff opener.
The former Barcelona star shared some clicks from his Friday match on his Instagram, where he can be seen celebrating goals with his teammates.
After winning the match, Miami head coach Gerardo Martino said, “It’s not easy to find fullbacks who are so decisive and who contribute so much to the offensive game of the team, Dani Alves, Cafu, Marcelo, Roberto Carlos, they’re all at that level.”
“Technically, he has a quality that is very rare in a wide defender and is better when he understands where Luis and Leo are and can find them, and how they can find him if they can find Jordi. For sure, it is difficult to find a player who plays in his position and is as decisive,” he further added.
Inter Miami will play the second best-of-three MLS playoff on November 2, 2024, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
