Carlos Alcaraz presents Lionel Messi with trophy in star-studded crossover after Inter Miami reach first MLS Cup final
Carlos Alcaraz was present in Florida for the Eastern Conference Finals in the MLS Cup, and on-hand to meet Lionel Messi and other stars at the club.
Carlos Alcaraz might have grown up a Real Madrid fan in his homeland of Spain, but when it comes to sports, greatness recognises greatness. With the tennis calendar in its off-season, the Spaniard world number one made a visit to Miami’s Chase Stadium, where he reconnected with Lionel Messi and even handed over the trophy following Inter Miami’s victory in the MLS Cup’s Eastern Conference Finals.
Messi and Inter Miami faced off against New York City FC in the semifinal round of the MLS Cup at their home stadium, and thumped their opponents 5-1 to seal their spot in the final for the first time in club history. Alcaraz was present at the stadium, interacting with the Miami players as they headed out onto the field, and receiving a jersey from the club as well.
At the start of the night, Alcaraz was seen greeting Messi quickly, before embracing compatriot Sergio Busquets and striking up a conversation. Alcaraz was also greeted by more of Messi’s teammates, including Rodrigo De Paul, Jordi Alba, and Luis Suarez – a clear indication of the growing celebrity of the six-time grand slam champion across the world.
With the world number one in the building, Alcaraz got the chance to present Messi with the trophy for the Eastern Conference Finals, as the two superstars of their respective sports shared a hug on stage as officials prepared to present club captain Messi with the honour.
Messi guides Inter Miami to first Cup final
Messi and Alcaraz have interacted in the past, having met at the Laureus Sports Awards show in 2023. Alcaraz grew up in Spain while Messi was dominating the La Liga with Barcelona, and while the Spaniard has dominated tennis, there is no doubt that Messi would be listed amongst his sporting heroes.
In the match itself, Inter Miami absolutely dominated NYCFC, putting 5 goals past their visitors to reach the final. The hero on the night was Argentinian winger Tadeo Allende, who scored a hat-trick. This was his seventh goal in the last three games, all three being knockout games for Miami, and sets him up to be the key player for the MLS Cup Final.
Miami’s opponent will be either San Diego FC or Vancouver Whitecaps, who face off in the Western Conference Finals. The final will give Messi the chance to lift his first MLS Cup title with his Floridian club.
Alcaraz, meanwhile, is enjoying the offseason after a terrific year in tour in 2025, which saw him lift two grand slam titles and regain the world number one ranking. After a brief break, working will begin towards preparing for the 2026 tennis season.
