Lionel Messi added one other milestone to his legendary profession on Saturday evening, scoring Inter Miami’s first-ever purpose at their brand-new Nu Stadium.
The historic second got here within the tenth minute of the match towards Austin FC, simply 4 minutes after the guests had threatened to spoil the grand opening.
Guilherme Biro of Austin FC truly scored the very first purpose within the stadium’s historical past with a header within the sixth minute of play, a lot to the upset of the house crowd.
Nonetheless, Messi rapidly answered, rising to satisfy an Ian Fray cross with a superbly timed header to degree the rating and ignite the Inter Miami trustworthy.
The purpose was Messi’s fifth of the MLS season in simply his sixth look, persevering with his dominant type for the reason that 2026 marketing campaign started.
Earlier than kickoff, the ambiance was electrical as David Beckham addressed the followers alongside co-owners Jorge and Jose Mas to rejoice the stadium’s opening.
Inter Miami formally opened the doorways to their model new stadium on Friday night
Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham delivered a passionate speech simply earlier than kick-off
Lionel Messi made historical past after scoring Inter Miami’s first purpose on the stadium
Beckham praised the Argentine icon, calling him the ‘greatest participant within the historical past of the sport’ whereas thanking him for his influence on Inter Miami.
The stadium itself includes a everlasting tribute to the star, with a piece on the east facet formally devoted because the ‘Leo Messi Stand.’
‘We believed in Miami,’ Beckham mentioned. ‘And Miami believed in us.’
The sport finally ended 2-2 after Austin’s Jayden Nelson restored the guests’ benefit, earlier than Luis Suarez restored parity within the sport with 9 minutes left.
It marked the primary time that Inter Miami performed a sport in its namesake metropolis, having beforehand spent greater than six years calling Fort Lauderdale dwelling.
The stadium itself is reported to have value round $350 million, nonetheless the complete Miami Freedom Park campus will value roughly $1 billion to assemble.
The complicated will function the 26,700-seater stadium, a 5,000 house parking zone, a 750-room lodge, a retail village, 58 acres of public parks and group soccer fields.
In response to the membership, the brand new stadium has been solely privately funded and required no metropolis cash to finish building. Nonetheless, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis did allocate $8 million in public funding to finish a street across the stadium.
Beckham was joined by his Spice Lady spouse Victoria, 51, and two of their youngsters – Cruz and Romeo – as he opened his Inter Miami workforce’s new stadium.
Inter Miami CF managing proprietor Jorge Mas, left, and co-owner David Beckham, proper, stand collectively throughout a ribbon slicing ceremony earlier than Inter Miami’s first MLS soccer match in Nu Stadium towards Austin FC , Saturday, April 4, 2026, in Miami. (AP Picture/Lynne Sladky)
Inter Miami followers wave a flag in Nu Stadium forward of the workforce’s first MLS soccer match of their new stadium, towards Austin FC, Saturday, April 4, 2026, in Miami. (AP Picture/Rebecca Blackwell)
Followers wait in line to enter Nu Stadium, as indicators of ongoing work are seen behind, forward of the workforce’s first MLS soccer match of their new stadium, towards Austin FC, Saturday, April 4, 2026, in Miami. (AP Picture/Rebecca Blackwell)
Cruz, 21, took to Instagram with snaps as he toured the venue, after estranged brother Brooklyn was noticed taking a ‘tense’ cellphone name amid their ongoing household feud.
He mentioned he ‘could not be extra proud’ of his father as he took within the big new state-of-the-art stadium earlier than sitting in Lionel Messi’s pitchside seat.
Cruz penned: ‘Dad I actually couldn’t be extra happy with you, you’ve gotten impressed me every single day to be a greater human and have persistently proved that so long as you’re employed as onerous as you may you may obtain your goals.’
Earlier than including: ‘And in the present day you’ve gotten made historical past as soon as once more, Vamos Miami, see ya tonight’.
David shared a primary have a look at Inter Miami’s new $750million (£566.5m) stadium on Friday forward of its official unveiling.
The England legend introduced the start of building on the venture, then referred to as Miami Freedom Park, in 2023, three years on from the membership’s founding.
Beckham posted an image to Instagram throughout Inter Miami’s first coaching session on the Nu Stadium, with the caption ‘Our new dwelling (two pink coronary heart emojis)’ adorning the video of the gleaming pink and white floor.
The 50-year-old additionally shared a put up with photos of the bottom – and himself testing out the turf – to his most important grid, which was celebrated by a slew of well-wishers.
