“A film that is constantly repeated" - Inter Miami coach heaps praise on Lionel Messi after 94th minute winner on debut

Inter Miami manager Gerardo "Tata" Martino waxed lyrical about Lionel Messi after the superstar fired the Herons to a 2-1 win against Cruz Azul on his debut.

The Florida-based club faced Mexican outfit Cruz Azul in their first Leagues Cup group-stage game at the DRV PNK Stadium on Friday, July 21. They went into the match on the back of a six-game winless run but were boosted by Lionel Messi's arrival.

Messi, 36, participated in his first training session with Inter Miami on Tuesday, July 18, after being presented to the fans last weekend. Having only recently linked up with the rest of his teammates, the Argentinian icon had to settle for a place on the bench against Cruz Azul.

The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner, though, came on as a second-half substitute, replacing Benjamin Cremaschi in the 54th minute to make his debut. He went on to make a significant difference for his side off the bench, netting a 94th-minute winner from a free-kick.

Inter Miami boss Martino previously managed Messi at Barcelona but was awestruck by the superstar's ability like all others in attendance. Speaking after the game, the Argentinian tactician sang the praises of the 2022 FIFA World Cup winner.

"A film that is constantly repeated," Martino said (h/t Eurosport). "It is almost like he’s giving his all to write a new film. Obviously (some moments) have a greater or lesser degree of importance, but he is always there to write films."

It is worth noting that Martino was in charge of La Liga giants Barcelona for the 2013-14 season. Messi bagged 41 goals and 15 assists from 46 appearances across competitions for the Blaugrana that campaign. The forward also played 20 games under the tactician during his time as Argentina's manager between 2014 and 2016.

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Lionel Messi's Inter Miami debut in numbers

Lionel Messi was one of the best players on Friday despite being on the pitch for only 36 minutes. He had three shots in the game, of which one ended in the back of the net, one hit the target and one was blocked. The superstar also had 35 touches of the ball but was dispossessed just twice.

The former Paris Saint-Germain talisman completed 24 passes with 92% accuracy. The forward played five passes into the final third and also created one chance. Furthermore, he played two long balls with 100% accuracy.

Lionel Messi won one of the five ground duels he attempted and recovered the ball twice. He won one free-kick for his side, although he conceded one as well. He was also caught offside once.