A pregame ceremony came to an end as fireworks lit up the sky, and Lionel Messi held the Ballon d’Or over his head. And with that, Inter Miami will once again be able to honor the best player in the history of the game in 2023.

In a friendly match versus New York City FC on Friday night, Messi represented his Major League Soccer team. The game was organized to celebrate his seventh Ballon d’Or victory, which is given to the best player in the league each year, at a black-tie event in Paris last month. That accolade has never been won by another player more than five times.

Messi crossed the field to midfield on a gold carpet, holding the trophy in his left hand. MLS Commissioner Don Garber was among those waiting for Messi to arrive for a little pregame ceremony. As the stadium erupted, he gave Garber and Inter Miami owners Jorge and Jose Mas an embrace before raising the trophy.

“To me, it is something beautiful to share with you,” stated Messi. “I’ve only been here a little while but it really feels like I’ve been here a long time.”

Here’s how significant the occasion was: Garber even took out his smartphone to capture the moment.

“ou, Inter Miami fans, have the best player who’s ever played the game,” Garber stated. “e winner of his eighth Ballon D’Or, the guy who lifted as captain the Leagues Cup for your team, thank you Leo for your belief in Major League Soccer and making your club and your league a league of choice.”

 

 

The match was essentially meaningless: NYCFC won 2-1, and Messi had a chance to level the score in stoppage time with a 25-yard free kick, but it went high, and the referee signaled the end of play a short while later.

It was the ideal way to cap off Messi’s first four months of official club membership: Year 1 began with an on-field celebration and concluded with a celebration that hinted at Year 2.