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Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago Sun-Times
National
Anne M. Peterson | AP

Despite his absence, Lionel Messi keeps hold on American fans

Lionel Messi Inter Miami David Beckham MLS LAFC Alexi Lalas Apple TV+ Major League Soccer Soccer Tata Martino
Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi looks on from a private box as his team played the Houston Dynamo in the U.S. Open Cup final. An injury kept Messi out of the lineup. (Rebecca Blackwell/AP)

It’s highly unlikely any player other than Lionel Messi could have brought Prince Harry, Selena Gomez and Leonardo DiCaprio out to a regular-season Major League Soccer match.

But there they were — very noticeable in fact — in the crowd when Messi’s Inter Miami squad took on LAFC in Southern California early this month.

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