Sep 28, 2024; Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA; Inter Miami CF forward Lionel Messi (10) celebrates a goal the second half against the Charlotte FC at Chase Stadium. (Reuters)
Lionel Messi turned back the clock with his outside-the-box strike that helped Inter Miami stay on top of the Major League Soccer (MLS) points table with a 1-1 draw against Charlotte.
If the goal was a reminder of one of the Argentine’s trademark genius – a feint, a finish he has delivered over and over again throughout his career – the celebration was another one of his latest nods to the US pop-culture.
Looking towards the stand in which his kids were seated, Messi lifted his feet with both his palms down, enacting the signature lift off from Marvel’s Iron Man.
It’s not the first time the eight-time Ballon D’or winner has celebrated a goal referencing a superhero from the comic book publisher/movie studios. Since his arrival at Inter Miami last summer, Messi has celebrated his goals for the MLS franchise by giving a nod to popular fictional characters such as Black Panther, Thor and Spider-Man.
MESSI. BANGER. 🐐 pic.twitter.com/84VIwmBOF3
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) September 29, 2024
The reason behind the same had been explained by the Argentine to Miami Herald in a chat last August.
“My three sons are still on vacation, have not started school yet, so every night we watch Marvel superhero movies. They came up with the idea and asked that whenever I have a game and score a goal, I do a Marvel superhero celebration. That’s how it started, and we continued that ritual,” Messi had told the publication.
“Each time we watched a new movie, we would practice a goal celebration. But I only do them for home games, when the kids are here, near me, so we can share those moments. When I see them in the stands, that is when I do them,” he added.
Vintage goal
The goal from the Inter Miami skipper in the 67th minute of the game, with his side trailing 1-0, was a reminder of one of the trademark goals from the left-footed genius.
Receiving the ball in the inward-right channel, Messi put the burners on along the edge of the box to the left, before fainting past his marker and finally unleashing a low ripper of a shot which beat the keeper to his right.
It was the 17th goal for Messi this season to go along with 12 assists from his 19 appearances for Inter Miami.
Currently, Miami sit atop the MLS 2024/25 tally with 69 points from 19 games – nine more than Columbus, who are second in the tally.
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