Lionel Messi celebrates his goal with a beer-holding gesture in the match where Inter Miami defeated Atlanta United 4-0 in Group J of the Leagues Cup on the morning of July 26th.
After celebrating with his teammates in the corner of the field, Messi noticed Inter Miami co-owners David Beckham and Jorge Mas on the sidelines. The Argentine forward then paused, extending his right hand forward with his palm open, directed towards the two owners of Inter Miami.
According to the UK’s Sunsport, Messi celebrated his goal with a beer-holding gesture. Off the field, Beckham responded with a bright smile, while Mas applauded and praised him.
On the other hand, the Spanish newspaper Marca believes that Messi celebrated the goal specifically for his son. In particular, the 36-year-old star mimicked the superhero Thor from Marvel Comics – Thiago’s favorite superhero, and then smiled at his son’s reaction.
On social media, many fans believe that Inter Miami’s newcomer celebrates with a gesture similar to Darth Vader’s use of the Force in the Star Wars movies. However, Messi has not yet explained the meaning behind this new celebration.
Messi had a perfect start in the Inter Miami jersey. In his debut match, he came on as a substitute in the 54th minute and scored a fantastic free-kick goal in the fourth minute of stoppage time, securing a 2-1 victory against Cruz Azul.
In the next match against Atlanta United on July 26th, Messi started and opened the scoring in the 8th minute with two consecutive close-range shots. In the 22nd minute, the World Cup 2022 champion doubled the lead with a close-range finish from Robert Taylor’s pass.
In the second half, Messi continued to leave his mark by providing an assist to Robert Taylor, sealing a 4-0 victory for Inter Miami in the 53rd minute. The Argentine superstar was substituted in the 78th minute to make way for Robbie Robinson. He received a remarkable rating of 9.9 points from the website Sofascore.
After the match, Coach Gerardo Martino stated that Messi has shed many burdens after two memorable years with the Argentine national team, where they won the Copa America 2021, the Continental Super Cup 2022, and the World Cup 2022. “It shows in everything, in his daily life, in his statements, and in how Messi faces each game,” Coach Martino said. “When Messi is comfortable, we will see more performances like this.”
The victory against Atlanta helped Inter Miami consolidate their position at the top of Group J in the Leagues Cup. Messi and his teammates currently have six points from two matches, securing their spot in the Round of 16. Cruz Azul and Atlanta United will compete for the remaining spot in their direct encounter on July 29th.
