India, June 20 -- Lionel Messi displayed remarkable skill as he guided Inter Miami to their inaugural FIFA Club World Cup triumph, achieving a 2-1 victory over Porto. This also marked the first competitive win for an MLS team against a European opponent. Miami was down 0-1 at halftime but equalized just two minutes into the second half, thanks to Telasco Segovia, who scored following a cross from Marcelo Weigandt.

Messi then put Miami ahead 2-1 in the 68th minute, responding swiftly for the Herons. A free-kick was awarded to Miami at the edge of the Porto box, and the Argentine superstar curled the ball into the top-right corner, executing a signature Messi free-kick.

After the match, Miami's head coach Javier Mascherano praised Messi's influence on the game. He remarked to reporters, "Beyond his goal... he exemplifies how to compete, showcasing his hunger and desire to continue competing at any level."

"In terms of football, what more can be said? He is the greatest player in the history of this sport, yet what stands out is his relentless will to win.

"Even in the final minutes, despite being fatigued and nursing an injury, he continued to support the team in every possible way, both offensively and defensively, to secure the result.

"We understand that having him on our side provides us with an advantage, but more importantly, it is his infectious spirit and winning mentality that inspires us," he added.

In the meantime, Messi expressed, "It brings me great joy. A significant amount of effort was invested, and we performed exceptionally well. I am very pleased. We were left with a sense of disappointment after the first match, believing we could have secured a victory."

"(Regarding the free-kick) I capitalized on the space left by the goalkeeper, who was stationary and not guarding his post. I aimed to score there.

"The other day, there were nerves among many young players participating in such a prestigious competition. We have evolved. We are prepared to compete and play our style. Today, we were the weaker team, but we possess our strengths. Our next challenge is Palmeiras, a prominent club globally. It will be another very challenging match," he concluded.
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