AUBURN, Ala. – In the 69th minute, the fans got their wish.
After cheering loudly every time Lionel Messi appeared on the videoboards, the sport’s biggest star entered the match to thunderous applause that was somehow eclipsed two minutes later when Messi scored on a penalty kick as fans chanted his name in unison.
In front of 88,043, the largest crowd ever to see a soccer match in the state of Alabama, defending World Cup champion Argentina beat Iceland 3-0 Tuesday in their Road to ’26 exhibition at sold-out Jordan-Hare Stadium.
To create his goal, Messi stutter-stepped before striking, forcing Iceland’s goalkeeper to commit, then drilling a laser over his head into the back of the net to the delight of the sold-out crowd.
The Flair at Jordan-Hare.
"We, as Argentinians, always keep the same hope, the same desire to be able to keep achieving big things like the ones we’ve already achieved," said Messi in the mixed zone, translated from Spanish. "It’s a group that doesn’t stop competing, it’s been showing that, whatever the match, the competition and wherever it is, it always competes, it always wants more."
The day before the match, Iceland’s coach said he hoped Messi would play so he could tell his grandchildren he shared the same pitch with one of soccer’s all-time greats.
After a lengthy afternoon downpour that softened Pat Dye Field but did nothing to dampen the spirits of spectators, the match included moments that were uniquely Auburn, including an eagle flight and an appearance by honorary captain Daniel Carson, no stranger to making big kicks in this iconic 87-year-old venue.
Poised to compete in his sixth World Cup, Messi leads Argentina in its Cup debut next Tuesday vs. Algeria in Kansas City, Missouri.
Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on X: @jeff_shearer