Cheered Messi Is Good for Miami and Argentina

With a magnificent winning goal on Friday, Lionel Messi gave his Inter Miami career the perfect start. However, what may have been most noteworthy about his debut was how genuinely delighted he appeared.

Since Messi announced that he was leaving Paris Saint-Germain for Miami, most of the attention has been on what the transfer will mean for Major League Soccer and the American football industry.

What the transfer signifies for the 36-year-old Argentine great himself has been somewhat overshadowed by the excitement around it.

After experiencing the greatest high of winning the World Cup in December, Messi appeared depressed in Paris, when PSG supporters booed him in his final match.

But ever since his arrival in South Florida, Messi has been grinning and frequently uses the Spanish term "contento" in his Spanish-language remarks.

Everyone around him is grinning, and he appears and sounds joyful.

"We knew it was important for us to start this tournament with a win. Luckily we were able to do it at the end and I'm very happy," he said after his 94th minute winner, with a trademark curling free-kick, in the 2-1 victory over Mexico's Cruz Azul in the Leagues Cup.

"I'm very happy to be here, with the team and my family. We're very happy with this choice. I want to thank the people once again. I hope we continue this way and that they keep joining us all year because for us this is very important," he added.

Even though Messi is a superstar, he has always come off as a reticent celebrity.

The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner has never been completely comfortable with his stardom, in contrast to Cristiano Ronaldo, the greatest figure to transfer to MLS before Messi, who is now a co-owner of the Argentinean's new team.

A player who spent 17 years playing in front of audiences four times that size at Barcelona's Camp Nou may find it extremely demoralizing to be playing at a temporary stadium with a capacity of 20,000 that is located an hour's drive north of downtown Miami.

Messi is surrounded by enthusiastic Spanish-speaking supporters, hundreds of whom are Argentine and many of whom are wearing his national team jersey, yet he seems to be relishing the closeness of the setting.

Football romantics would have loved to see Messi end his career back in Argentina, but in Miami he gets all the familiarity of home, while still able to enjoy a degree of privacy, security and - not insignificantly - a reported $60m a year salary.

Miami's 18-year old midfielder Benjamin Cremaschi, born in the city to Argentine parents, was given a hug and kiss from Messi when the No 10 replaced him in the 54th minute.

Cremaschi said the mood in the dressing room, after the win for a team in last place in MLS without a win in 11 league games, was transformed.

“It was pure joy, honestly. It was pure joy from everyone, from him, from us, to the owners, to the staff. And we're just so happy that we could win again," he said.

Miami have made it easy for him to settle in - he is surrounded by Spanish speaking team-mates, Argentine coaches, including his former boss at Barca and Argentina, Gerardo “Tata” Martino and club staff who share his language and culture.

At training this week he has laughed and joked with the players during the warm-ups and when he entered the field Friday, skipper DeAndre Yedlin handed him the captain's armband.

One of the smartest moves from Miami was bringing in the 35-year old Spanish midfielder Sergio Busquets to re-unite with his former Barca team-mate.

It was instantly evident Friday that the near telepathic understanding between the two has survived their two years apart.

Miami were transformed when the pair were sent in and if that level of impact can be maintained, they may have plenty more to smile about in the months ahead.

With the Copa America being held in the USA next year, Messi has plenty to look forward to with Argentina as well as his club, whose next game is at home to Atlanta Tuesday.

He has indicated that his triumph in Qatar was his last World Cup but there will be plenty in his homeland now wondering that if he stays fit and happy perhaps he might be tempted to try to win the ultimate prize one more time.

Source: AFP