Lionel Messi showed his class in Inter Miami interview after Ian Fray, 20, suffered injury | OneFootball

Lionel Messi has been praised for showing class and humility during his first post-match interview as an Inter Miami player.

The 36-year-old enjoyed a dream debut with his new employers, scoring a last-minute free-kick to earn Inter Miami a 2-1 win over Cruz Azul in the Leagues Cup.

Stars including LeBron James, Kim Kardashian and Serena Williams were in attendance at the DRV PNK Stadium to watch Messi make his maiden appearance - and they didn’t go home disappointed.

Messi entered the fray alongside former Barcelona teammate Sergio Busquets in the 54th minute and won the game with a typically exquisite moment of magic.

Messi's classy gesture after young Inter Miami teammate suffered injury

Messi was interviewed after the match and took the time to dedicate the victory to 20-year-old teammate Ian Fray, who suffered a serious-looking injury midway through the first half.

Fray has already torn his ACL twice during his short career, per Goal, and there are fears that the youngster may have suffered the same injury again.

Towards the end of his on-field interview, Messi said: “Let me dedicate this victory to Ian Fray, who was suffering in the locker room from the injury he sustained.

“He comes (back) from two serious injuries and today he has the bad luck to go through an injury again.”

A truly classy gesture from Messi.

The Argentine has only been at Inter Miami for a few days but, in his role as the club’s new captain, is already acting like the team’s leader.

Watch the full translated version of Messi’s interview here:

How else has Messi endeared himself to his new teammates?

Meanwhile, DeAndre Yedlin revealed earlier this week that the World Cup winner immediately responded in the team’s WhatsApp group chat when Leonardo Campana said he was struggling to get hold of tickets for Messi’s welcome ceremony.

Asked if Messi had been a great teammate so far, Yedlin said: "Yeah. From the big event he had on Sunday, Campana was looking for tickets and he put in the group chat if anybody has any tickets.

"I didn't even know whether Messi was in the group chat yet, but he popped up straightway and said, 'How many do you need though?' Straightaway like that.

"Just from there I was just like 'Woah!’

"You know what I mean. Like straight off the bat, they maybe know each other for two/three days or something. But to show that generosity is a great first example of how he (Messi) is."

Moments like these are bound to further endear Messi to his new teammates - most, if not all of whom, will already be in complete awe of the former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain megastar.

For the unfortunate Fray, one of Inter Miami’s homegrown players who is eligible to play for either the United States or Jamaica, nothing will take away the bitter disappointment if he has indeed suffered another ACL injury.

However, hearing the legendary Messi dedicate the team’s victory to him will hopefully have brought him some comfort during an incredibly difficult moment in his young life.