Lionel Messi ends Kim Kardashian 'curse' just as he did previously with Drake
Lionel Messi got his Inter Miami career off to a magical start with a last-ditch winner and ended the Kim Kardashian 'curse' in dramatic circumstances.
A capacity crowd packed into DRV PNK Stadium to see the 36-year-old icon take to the field for the first time as an MLS player but those present were made to wait for a glimpse of the superstar in action. Eventually, however, his adoring supporters got their wish as the World Cup winner entered the fray alongside his former Barcelona teammate Sergio Busquets as a substitute shortly after half-time.
With the game heading for a 1-1 draw, the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner produced a customary moment of sublime expertise to beat the Cruz Azul goalkeeper from range, with a sumptuously weighted free-kick. Unsurprisingly, the dramatic injury-time strike inspired euphoric scenes, with the Vice City crowd hailing its newest hero.
Among those present were superstars from the world of sport including club co-owner David Beckham, basketball icon LeBron James and tennis legend Serena Williams. Reality TV megastar Kardashian also was also in the crowd alongside her son Saint West, as the former Barcelona hero curled in the 67th free-kick of his illustrious career on the occasion of his bow for the Floridan club.
In doing so, Messi also ended a peculiar hoodoo that has hung over teams when the 42-year-old has attended games in the past. Kardashian was present as Arsenal slumped to a home defeat against Sporting Lisbon in the Europa League last term, before watching on as Rennes inflicted a shock defeat on Messi and Paris Saint-Germain three days later at Parc des Princes.
Kim Kardashian weighs in on sister feud after Kourtney's sad 'outsider' claimsOf course, any murmurs of a so-called 'curse' on social media have only been mentioned in a tongue-in-cheek manner, but Messi was able to demonstrate any previous defeats in Kardashian's presence were nothing but a coincidence. Supporters had also accused hip-hop star Drake of inflicting a similar hex on proceedings in the past, before the Argentine icon put those whispers to bed by winning the World Cup final in 2022 after the Canadian had publicly backed them.
The legendary winger's career has been littered with memorable moments - he has won 43 trophies for club and country, after all. That said, this most recent example of his genius will certainly have supporters hoping that the goal could spark a revival in the team's fortunes.
The victory is nothing to be sniffed at, with the Mexican outfit having won the first edition of the Leagues Cup back in 2019.The Herons, however, were ranked as C ONCACAF's 42nd best team coming into the clash, with their opponents were ranked in tenth position.
Speaking to Apple TV following the triumphant scenes, co-owner David Beckham expressed his delight that Messi was able to get on the scoresheet in such remarkable circumstances. He said: "To be honest, as soon as I saw the free kick given, I thought: 'This is the way it’s meant to end.'
“Especially when you’ve got players like Leo and Sergio [Busquets] on the pitch – that’s what they produce. It’s so exciting tonight for our fans. All of these people that have come down here to see Leo just step onto the pitch, let alone just do what he’s done.”