Messi Steals the Show as Inter Miami Tops Colorado Rapids

Lionel Messi's debut in Colorado draws record crowd, outshines Ohtani and Jokic

Apr. 19, 2026 at 12:35am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting Lionel Messi's game-winning goal against the Colorado Rapids, with the player's movements and the ball's trajectory fractured into overlapping planes of bright colors representing the teams' uniforms.Lionel Messi's late heroics for Inter Miami spoil the Colorado Rapids' 30th anniversary celebration.Denver Today

In a weekend filled with sports superstars in Denver, Lionel Messi's debut for Inter Miami against the Colorado Rapids stole the show. Despite the Rapids mounting a late comeback, Messi scored the game-winning goal in the 80th minute to give Inter Miami a 3-2 victory in front of a record crowd of 75,284 at Empower Field.

Why it matters

Messi's arrival in Colorado generated immense excitement, with more fans wearing his No. 10 jersey than for half of the Broncos' home games last season. The game highlighted Messi's global appeal and status as one of the greatest athletes of all time, even overshadowing the presence of other sports stars like Shohei Ohtani and Nikola Jokic in the city that day.

The details

Messi opened the scoring for Inter Miami with a penalty kick in the 19th minute. The Rapids fought back to tie the game at 2-2 in the second half, but Messi struck again in the 80th minute with a brilliant individual effort, dribbling past a defender and firing a shot into the top corner to give Inter Miami the victory. Fans stormed the field after the final whistle, desperate to get a closer look at the Argentine legend.

  • Messi scored on a penalty kick in the 19th minute.
  • The Rapids tied the game at 2-2 midway through the second half.
  • Messi scored the game-winning goal in the 80th minute.

The players

Lionel Messi

A 38-year-old Argentinian midfielder who is considered one of the greatest soccer players of all time, having won a record 8 Ballon d'Or awards.

Zack Steffen

The goalkeeper for the Colorado Rapids who was unable to stop Messi's game-winning shot in the 80th minute.

Josh Atencio

A Colorado Rapids player who was called for a controversial foul in the box that led to Messi's opening penalty kick goal.

Lucas Herrington

A Colorado Rapids defender who was beaten by Messi on the game-winning goal in the 80th minute.

Shohei Ohtani

A Japanese baseball player who was also in Denver on the same day as Messi and Jokic.

Nikola Jokic

A Serbian basketball player who was also in Denver on the same day as Messi and Ohtani.

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What they’re saying

“Messi is... a feeling. He's like (Diego) Maradona... there's nothing like him.”

— Silvina Irimia, Buenos Aires native, now of Aurora

“I don't think that Michael or LeBron move 70,000 people into a single stadium for a single game. Messi is... a feeling.”

— Sergio Martinez, Buenos Aires native, of Lakewood

“His grandma is still in the same house. Same humble house where she lived all her life.”

— Claudia Hendricks, Boulder resident from Messi's hometown of Rosario, Argentina

What’s next

Messi's Inter Miami contract runs through 2028, so he is expected to continue playing in Colorado in future seasons. The Rapids and their fans will be hoping for a rematch against the Argentinian superstar.

The takeaway

Lionel Messi's arrival in Denver for his Colorado debut generated an unprecedented level of excitement, with the crowd of over 75,000 at Empower Field exceeding even the star power of other sports icons like Shohei Ohtani and Nikola Jokic who were also in the city that day. Messi's global appeal and status as one of the greatest athletes of all time was on full display, cementing his legacy as a true sporting legend.