With the presence of possibly the best soccer player ever in the city, a variety of well-known individuals showed up at Red Bull Arena to witness Lionel Messi’s debut in the MLS on Saturday night. Messi visited New York this weekend for his inaugural match in the league with Inter Miami, and he astonished everyone with a remarkable goal towards the end of the game after being substituted onto the field.
With excitement building up for his debut in the MLS, the prices for tickets to the game skyrocketed in the past week. Some eager fans were even willing to pay over $20,000 to secure their spot and be part of the thrilling experience.
Some notable celebrities, such as New York rappers Fat Joe and French Montana, were spotted at the Red Bull Arena making sure they snagged a good seat. They were joined by rap icon DMC, who surprisingly mentioned his intention to run for president before the game started. Other artists like Vin Rock, DJ Kay Gee, DJ Skribble, and DJ Scratcon were also in attendance, making it a star-studded night as the Red Bulls celebrated the 50th anniversary of hip hop.
Fat Joe and Carmelo Anthony were spotted alongside other celebrities at Lionel Messi’s first MLS game in New York on Saturday night.
Messi made his debut in the league with a goal for Inter Miami, helping them secure a 2-0 victory against the Red Bulls.
Kristie Mewis and Sam Kerr, a power couple in women’s soccer, were spotted together at the game.
French Montana, the famous rap artist, was among the spectators as Messi scored a goal in New York. Also spotted were former NBA player Carmelo Anthony, New York-born playwright Lin-Manuel Miranda, and the women’s soccer duo Kristie Mewis and Sam Kerr. Disappointingly for these celebrities and fans who splurged on tickets, Messi did not start the game after being benched by Inter manager Tata Martino. Despite this setback, Messi had been instrumental in Miami’s past seven matches, helping them win the Leagues Cup and secure a spot in the US Open Cup semifinals against Cincinnati.
Martino suggested that his top player would be given a break in the upcoming games due to his impressive performance since arriving in the United States. Messi was brought on in the second half when Inter was leading 1-0, and he made a difference with a brilliant pass to set up a goal, showing his magic on the field once again.
On Saturday night, Messi and Sergio Busquets were seen on the bench for a total of 60 minutes during the game.
However, once he joined the action, he showed great chemistry with Benjamin Cremaschi to secure the win. He now has a remarkable record of scoring 11 goals in his first nine games, managing to win all nine of them, including two from penalty shootouts. In a tense semifinal against Cincinnati, just as it seemed like they might lose, Messi delivered an incredible pass to set up Campana for a last-minute equalizer. Miami then triumphed in a penalty shootout for the second time in less than a week, earning a spot in the final against Houston Dynamo next month. Messi and Inter’s next match is against Nashville at DRV PNK Stadium on Wednesday night.
