Miami ¨C The expanded Club World Cup has kicked off with healthy crowds, ¡°Messi mania¡± and a festival atmosphere in Miami, giving an early vindication to world soccer body FIFA after fears of empty stands and global disinterest.
FIFA controversially awarded Lionel Messi¡¯s Inter Miami a backdoor route into the tournament, ensuring the sport¡¯s biggest name would be there after he propelled soccer to new heights in a country often ambivalent to the world¡¯s most popular game.
Some 61,000 fans packed the Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday to watch the Argentine and teammates play Egyptian giants Al-Ahly in a goalless draw.
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