In a rejuvenated BMO Field, the regular TFC supporters were interspersed with soccer fans in the pink of the visiting team and the familiar light blue and white of Argentina. It was Messi Mania, if not at its height, certainly alive and well to witness another memorable performance. There wasn't a better way to test the expanded version of Toronto's World Cup stadium than with one of the all-time greats as the special, celebrated, and ultimately triumphant, guest.
Messi, he of five World Cup appearances and one glorious title, was the star of the show. The Argentine legend delivered and then some as his Inter Miami side defeated the Reds 4-2 on Saturday afternoon at a bustling, buzzing and sold-out BMO Field. It was a regular-season MLS game, yes, but had the feel of much more than that, given that there is less than five weeks until one of the world's biggest sporting spectacles arrives on the shores of Lake Ontario.
For the first time, the temporary stands in the north and south ends at the undersized venue were open and then filled with spectators. Thanks to Messi, the crowd of 44,828 got a taste of what awaits in June and July while also witnessing one of the greatest athletes in the sport do his thing with his familiar flair.
Magic of Messi
Messi, the eight-time FIFA player of the year and 2022 World Cup champion, was magic throughout. He scored once, assisting on two Miami goals, and was denied on a couple of more prime opportunities late in the game. The 38-year-old superstar, at times both eye-catching and breathtaking, provided a worthy glimpse of what is to come to this stadium. Messi as maestro is expected by now, of course, but still a spectacle to be savoured.
“Of course you see the quality and you know that when he gets opportunity that he can definitely hurt teams,” said Miami goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair, who is hoping to have the same assignment for Canada next month. St. Clair is Messi's teammate in Miami and thus is locked in on winning games with him. But that doesn't mean he can't appreciate his talented teammate. “One moment, everything can change,” St. Clair said, describing Messi's innate ability to find open space and seize upon the opportunity that goes with it. “I think everyone's always seen those videos enough, where you know he's the best player in the world. So nothing really does surprise you, because you know that he's capable of doing anything.”
The fans who came to see one of the all-time stars of the sport certainly saw a show. Messi, who will turn 39 during the World Cup, played the entire game. The anticipation starts the moment a ball nears him and he senses opportunity. His footwork is still sublime, his instincts elite, and all of that was on display during his three-point afternoon. He began the game alongside Uruguay star Luis Suarez, who he set up for one of his goals. And he uses those instincts to his full advantage, conserving energy when necessary and saving his bursts to find open ground and stymie defenders. This is part of his mastery, of course, his ability not just to prolong a career, but to do so without extinguishing the flame.
After having his share of opportunities, Messi scored his ninth goal of the MLS season in the 75th minute, getting a left-footed shot into the back of the net to increase his team's lead to an insurmountable 4-0. The Reds scored a pair of late goals, but it wasn't enough. After 12 regular-season games, including the last nine at home, TFC has three wins, four losses, and five draws for 14 points.
World Cup-Ready Venue?
There is still work to be done at one of the two Canadian locations to play host to action at the global spectacle, and the facility will be tested like never before. The stadium will be the smallest, attendance-wise, of the 16 that will be used in the World Cup. But if Saturday's match was an apt teaser, it will have a big-event feel. When filled, the atmosphere was electric with the towering north end grandstands providing the bulk of the 17,000 temporary seats.
Scheduling Inter Miami for the final TFC home game prior to the World Cup was not by accident, of course. For the MLS and Toronto FC, it was an opportunity to sell that many more seats to see the great No. 10 for Miami. And for FIFA, it created the opportunity for the closest thing to a rehearsal as could be orchestrated.
“I think it's fantastic,” said TFC coach Robin Fraser, after lashing out at the officiating in his team's latest loss. “I've seen this stadium grow up from the I don't know what it's what it held when the league started, and (had) turf field and awful games, because between the wind and the turf, the ball is always bouncing here. Now it's a world-class stadium. It's phenomenal to have seen the progression over the years and it feels like a really, really good stadium. It feels like it's going to be a great place for the World Cup.”
As a visitor, St. Clair could dream on the possibilities of a home-field advantage being real. As a goalkeeper, he appreciated the stands cutting down some of the wind. “Next time I play here, I want to make sure that all those fans are 90 per cent or 95 per cent making sure they're cheering for the home team,” St. Clair said. “But you can definitely feel the environment and build-up in atmosphere. So definitely something I'm looking forward to with the added stands.”
What's Next for BMO Field?
Starting on Wednesday, control of the stadium reverts to FIFA, which will begin the final round of detailing for the World Cup. For the tournament itself, BMO Field will be known simply as Toronto Stadium. That crowd of 44,828 on Saturday was the largest in the history of the facility, topping the attendance at the NHL's Centennial Classic on Jan. 1, 2017, when a Maple Leafs rookie named Auston Matthews scored in overtime to help the home team to a 5-4 win over the Detroit Red Wings.
FIFA will come in to get the stadium event-ready for the six games to be played here as Canada hosts World Cup action for the first time. The curtain-raiser will be a gala on June 12 with Jesse Marsch's Canadian side facing Bosnia and Herzegovina. TFC, meanwhile, will play its next six contests on the road, returning to the shores of Lake Ontario on Aug. 15 for a match against the New England Revolution.
Prepare for the Mayhem
All things considered — given that the stadium isn't yet fully completed to World Cup standards — things ran smoothly on Saturday. Yes, the lineups were long to enter fewer gates to handle fans, plus a crowd exponentially larger than is accustomed. You'll hear it repeatedly as the World Cup games near, but the recommendation will be for spectators to arrive early to navigate the crowds and security.
The biggest congestion early on was hundreds of people lining the streets surrounding the stadium awaiting the arrival of the Inter Miami bus, with the hope of getting a glimpse of Messi. That led to some pressure on surrounding fences, even with a heavy police and security presence. In-game, the familiar security issues to Messi games unfolded when pitch invaders twice managed to find their way onto the field in the second half. The first time, it was just one person, while three made it through next time. None of them were able to get close enough to turn the distraction into an incident as security quickly nabbed all of them. Safe to say, it will be made a much more difficult to penetrate that net when the World Cup arrives to avoid similar acts of foolery.
