Lionel Messi and Inter Miami's 1-1 draw with the LA Galaxy Sunday evening brought out all the celebrities – and a record crowd!
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Inter Miami and LA Galaxy tie 1-1Match draws record crowd in Los AngelesCelebrities and stars come out to watchWHAT HAPPENED?
The Galaxy saw 27,642 people come out to watch their home-opener against the Argentine and the Herons on Sunday, with the club handing out over 200 media credentials for the match – over four times their normal allotted amount.
Celebrities, superstar athletes and fans galore flocked to Dignity Health Sports Park to catch a glimpse of the Argentine – and boy, did he treat them! He scored a 92nd minute equalizer for the Herons, securing a point for Inter Miami.
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“Seeing a crowd here that was packing the stadium 45 minutes before game time is emotional. It sort of represents everything that we wanted this sport to be,” Garber said. “We’ve all learned that it’s never about any one player. But we should all cherish the great experiences when legends come into your league."
WHAT GALAXY BOSS GREG VANNEY SAID ABOUT THE ATTENDANCE
“One day, every night is going to be like this,” Vanney said. “It’s a spectacle of sorts. The league just has to keep growing right? You’ve got to keep getting top players because that’s what people want to see. The quality of soccer continues to get better. This is a sign that progress is being made. “The game that you saw tonight [was] partly because of the atmosphere that’s created by everything that’s going on, I can’t tell you how long, but I feel like we’re moving in that direction. I hope these nights continue to come.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Other celebrities who made an appearance at the ground Sunday evening were tennis superstar Novak Djokovic, NFL standout Puka Nacua, and WNBA superstars Candace Parker and Diana Taurasi. The sightings follow a trend of A-list personnel coming out to get a glimpse of Messi in action, in-person.
The Herons' home opener against Real Salt Lake saw the likes of actor Will Smith and NFL legend Chad Ochocinco make an appearance at Chase Park in Miami.