Cold weather no match for Messi fans, first FC Dallas match of the season
DALLAS - FC Dallas kicking off their first match of the season Monday at the Cotton Bowl Stadium against Inter Miami. The team got the extra challenge of going up against arguably the best soccer player in the world, Lionel Messi, the forward for Inter Miami.
"I came to this match because I am Argentine like him, and second, he is the best in the world," said a fan who came to the game. "The weather doesn't help but the emotions make you warm anyways."
"This is almost as good as the Superbowl," another fan told CBS News Texas. "You are seeing someone you call your idol, trying to get a picture, trying to say hi!"
Even for little kids and young soccer players, seeing Messi up close was inspiring.
"It's inspiring how much he passes and how well he plays," said Logan, a fan of Messi. "He inspires me with how great of a player he is."
Brother and sister, Daniella and Max came all the way from Austin to see the match. "His birthday is next week and I surprised him with tickets today, so I took him out of school so he could see Messi play," said Daniella.
The excitement for North Texas soccer does not end with Monday's match. A recent announcement named AT&T Stadium as one of the 16 sites that will hold FIFA World Cup matches in 2026. The official site of the final World Cup game will be announced in February.
"It's this continued promise by FC Dallas to deliver high-level soccer to North Texas to the state of Texas. We are constantly growing the game," says FC Dallas President, Dan Hunt.