Carlos Alcaraz walked into Chase Stadium expecting a good night of football. But what he experienced turned into something far more memorable. The world No. 1 found himself in the middle of an Inter Miami CF conference final, surrounded by 20,436 spectators and the bright lights that follow Lionel Messi.

For Alcaraz, who grew up admiring Messi from afar, seeing him play and having a brief interaction felt surreal, as he later shared. “Incredible,” he said after taking in the match and the roaring crowd.

“The truth is that it was a very, very beautiful experience.” And it’s easy to see why. Inter Miami CF clinched a spot in the MLS Cup for the first time ever with a 5-1 win over New York City FC.

Right from the start, Carlos Alcaraz was part of the excitement. He greeted several players from the sidelines as they walked onto the pitch, and the club gave him a jersey with his name and the number 99, the same gift he had received just two nights earlier from the Miami Heat. But the real highlight came with Messi.

After the match, Carlos Alcaraz carried the Eastern Conference trophy onto the pitch, handed it to Inter Miami’s ownership, and watched as it was finally given to Messi.

The two shared a hug as well, with Alcaraz later saying, “Being able to see Leo here in the conference final, I think it will be special for me.” But this isn’t the first time they have met.

When Carlos Alcaraz first met Lionel Messi

Carlos Alcaraz and Lionel Messi first met in public at the Laureus World Sports Awards in May 2023. At the time, Alcaraz said, “It’s crazy. I’ve never met him before… It’s crazy to see him here meters from me.”

The two shared a quick but warm exchange and Alcaraz even took a selfie with the football superstar. Soon after, the 20-year-old Alcaraz won the Laureus Breakthrough Athlete of the Year award, while Messi was named the Sportsman of the Year. However, their interactions didn’t end there.

Even in 2024, the day before the final of the men’s French Open, Messi reportedly sent Alcaraz a signed Inter Miami jersey as a good-luck gift. Interestingly enough, though, Alcaraz isn’t a Barcelona fan; he’s a vocal and passionate supporter of Real Madrid.

In January this year, Carlos Alcaraz was questioned about his five greatest players of all time. His list unsurprisingly included Madrid legends like Cristiano Ronaldo, Sergio Ramos, Luka Modric, Ronaldinho, and Neymar.

Even so, his admiration for the Argentine legend is clear – Alcaraz once described Ronaldo and Messi as “two gods.” With the Spaniard soon heading to Newark for an exhibition tournament this week, fans will be waiting to see what other exciting off-court activities he has lined up in his schedule after.