Lionel Messi - whom many consider to be the greatest football player of all time - burst onto the American football scene with his move from Europe to Major League Soccer last year.

A reported crowd of 19,619 enthusiastic spectators showed up in various Montreal team jerseys, but the Argentine blue and Inter Miami pink colors - with one fan even wearing a Messi tracksuit and goat mask - were overwhelming.

The chant of "Messi! Messi! Messi!" echoed throughout the evening last Saturday, even as Montreal was trailing by a late goal.

Montreal coach Laurent Courtois said, "I understand that people are cheering for Messi." "For me as a coach, when I lose, hearing my stadium cheer for the other team when we’re losing is tough."

Messi wasn't the only star in the house. He was joined by his former Barcelona teammates Luis Suárez and Sergio Busquets in the starting lineup.

Suárez scored his eleventh goal at the top of the league this season, with Matías Rojas adding a goal and an assist, and Benjamin Cremaschi scoring the game-winner in the 59th minute, helping Miami (8-2-3), the league leaders, secure their fifth consecutive victory.

However, Messi came and went in Montreal without scoring or assisting, despite his sizzling form.

The 36-year-old entered the match with 10 goals and 12 assists in eight league games after scoring one goal and providing five assists last week, but he was held scoreless for the first time this season.

Meanwhile, Montreal's Vásquez scored a goal and an assist under Messi's lights.

Vásquez said, "I'm still in this moment, I don't feel like it's real." "I feel like it happened so quickly. I have no words to explain it.

"Sharing the field with these guys, it's something unforgettable."

Brayce Duke also scored for Montreal (3-5-3), and he said doing so against Messi made it even more special.

Duke said, "It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity." "You watch him when you're younger on television, and he's one of those guys you feel in awe of every time he plays, and then sharing the field with him, or sharing the field with them, it's amazing.

"I will definitely keep that in my memory."