SAN JOSE — Even professional athletes get starstruck sometimes.
Such is the power of players like Lionel Messi. Legends like him come around once in a generation, if that.
Not even the San Jose Earthquakes are immune. The Quakes faced Inter Miami on Wednesday night at PayPal Park, playing Inter to a 3-3 tie.
Afterward, San Jose forward Beau Leroux, who scored the Quakes’ second goal, found himself in awe of what he had just witnessed.
“It’s definitely a crazy feeling, seeing him for the first time up close and personal,” Leroux said. “You’re always looking around and seeing where he’s at. But overall, it’s been great. Seeing him on the field that close is a blessing. I mean, this is a dream come true. I’ve had an actual dream of playing against Messi. And for that to come true, it’s a great feeling, and to go up against the best is always a great feeling.”
San Jose coach Bruce Arena recognizes the value and interest Messi’s presence brings to the MLS. So much so that he went out of his way to help shepherd the Argentine legend off the field after the game, when Messi went to confront the referees over what he perceived to be an uncalled foul just outside the box near the end of second-half stoppage time.
“It’s a universal language when you’re talking about referees,” Arena quipped. “Everyone knows the language. He was obviously not happy, and I wanted to make sure, really, he wasn’t gonna get a red card. That’s why I just tried to move him out of the way, because for him to get a red card at the end of the game would have been ridiculous. So I just wanted to make sure we get him out of there and he’s ready to play the next game for Miami.”
The Earthquakes certainly capitalized on the vibe Messi brought to the function on Wednesday night. PayPal Park was sold out for the first time during the Quakes’ 2025 season, and a flock of flamingo pink jerseys scattered across the seats throughout the San Jose venue.
Quakes captain Cristian Espinoza is also from Argentina and knows Messi well – the two traded jerseys after the game. Yet he was still struck by just how popular his fellow countryman was among the fans in attendance.
“It’s not a surprise,” Espinoza said. “It’s just different. You see it on the TV, but today, you can actually feel the atmosphere around the field, outside, also in the street. When I was two blocks away from the stadium, everything was blocked off. It was very impressive. But that’s what the best player ever brings to this game. So it’s really special to have him here in San Jose. Today, it was very special to play their team.”
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Arena hoped that some of the fans who parachuted into town for the special occasion will stick around after the main draw has departed.
“This is a franchise, it’s been not at its best over the last whatever years,” Arena said. “We’re trying to get it better. We have a long way to go. But getting more people at the game tonight, maybe for the first time because Messi is here, is helpful, and maybe they recognize that the game is entertaining. It’s good to see. And the team in San Jose is getting better, and maybe they’ll come back and support us. Trying to grow the product, this is beneficial for our club.”
The magnitude of the moment stick will certainly stick with the players long past Wednesday night.
“I’ll remember it for the rest of my life,” Leroux said. “It’s an honor to share the field with him.”
