The last game of Inter Miami’s season was played on artificial grass, and Lionel Messi played the whole thing. Charlotte FC won 1-0 and made the MLS playoffs.

Messi was in the center as Charlotte tried to make the playoffs on the last day of the regular season. The game, which took place at Charlotte’s 74,000-seat Bank of America Stadium, drew 66,101 fans.

A lot of people came to see Messi, who led Argentina to the 2022 World Cup title. Tens of thousands of them were wearing “Messi 10” shirts.

The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner as the best player in the world played all the way through the empty game for Miami, which was already out of the playoff running. He ended up with three shots and two chances to score. In the 49th minute, Messi seemed to have scored but was called offside. In the 62nd minute, his shot hit the post.

This season, Messi scored 11 goals in 14 games for Miami. The team had three losses and three draws in its last six league games and had only won four, lost four, and tied four in the league since he joined in the middle of July.

Messi didn’t talk to the media after Argentina’s 2-0 win over Peru in a World Cup qualifying game on Tuesday night. He didn’t play the next day in a make-up game against Charlotte. He only met with the reporters once during his half-season with the team, on August 17.

Charlotte did what its fans wanted. The second-year team needed to beat Miami and get other results to help them get one of the two open playoff spots in the Eastern Conference. There were five teams in a tight race. The Chicago Fire and CF Montreal both lost earlier on Saturday, which meant that Charlotte could win and lock up a spot in the playoffs.

For the first time in team history, Kerwin Vargas scored in the 13th minute to seal the win. In a season full of late-game goals, Charlotte kept Miami from scoring again.

Charlotte FC was averaging 33,634 fans before Saturday’s regular-season finale, which means they will finish second in the league in terms of attendance.

“I knew it was because Messi was in town,” Charlotte FC coach Christian Lattanzio said of the big crowd. “The more people who come to see us, the more they’ll understand that we can play with the best in the world.”

“I’m so proud of the boys. They have worked really, really hard.”

When Inter Miami plays two practice games in China on November 5 and 8, Messi is likely to wear the team’s colors. The first time Inter Miami went on a trip outside of the United States. Argentina has more World Cup matches on November 16 and November 21. Messi should then have a long break before Inter Miami starts getting ready for 2024.

Inter Miami CF coach Gerardo Martino said that his team was tired at the end of the season because they had a lot of games.

He said through a translator, “We played in three tournaments and won one.” “The group was worn out. That’s not an excuse. That’s the truth.”