DENVER — Saturday marked a special day for Colorado soccer fans.
Fans not only got to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Colorado Rapids' first home game, but also got to watch greatness on display as Lionel Messi took the field for Inter Miami for the first time in Colorado.
WATCH: Denver7's Tyler Melito talked with fans ahead of the big game
Despite a 2-0 deficit at the half, Colorado scored two goals in a matter of minutes to tie the game.
But in the 79th minute, Messi scored his second goal of the game to give Inter Miami the 3-2 victory.
To say the game exceeded fan expectations might be an understatement.
"I've had tickets since Day One, and this is, like, the most exciting day so far," said Michael Armbruscer, a fan from Colorado.
Armbruscer attended Saturday's match with his grandson, Michael Quintana.
"I like the sport of soccer, but with with the amount of people here, definitely shows the impact the sport has had throughout like especially in Colorado, for the last 30 years," Quintana said.
But even the youngest of Rapids fans like Graham Gilbert and Sebastian Cortez are high on this squad.
"We have young talent... our people, like, pass to each other... They don't hog them ball," Gilbert said.
"Our coach has some experience for the young talent so they can coach. Matt [Wells] can help us with the MLS Cup," Cortez said.
Still, the majority of fans came to see one player: Lionel Messi.
"He's my favorite player," James Kristan, who came to the game with his dad Nick, said.
It is not lost on the father-son duo from Denver the magnitude of Messi.
"It's just cool... to see a player of that magnitude in our lifetime is a treat and we're blessed to be here," Nick said.
Plans were made to attend this match long in advance.
"Ever since I saw the schedule come out, and when I saw that Messi was coming here, I was like, I am canceling all my plans, I'm gonna save up all my money and come to argue, be in one of, if not the best sports environments on the planet," Quintana said.
For youth players like Grasyon Hubble from Castle Rock, what makes Messi so mesmerizing is simple.
"Probably the power on his left foot," Hubble said.
It wasn't just Colorado soccer fans who were excited to see No. 10 in pink. Take Eli and David Spring, who flew in Friday for this game.
"This is as close as he gets to Tulsa, Oklahoma," David said. "So we hopped on a plane to catch his favorite player."
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