Carlos Alcaraz, the ATP world No. 1, joined Lionel Messi and Inter Miami CF to present the MLS Eastern Conference trophy following the club’s 5-1 victory over New York City FC. Alcaraz had accepted his second ATP year-end No. 1 trophy at the year-end Nitto ATP Finals in Turin earlier this month and was on hand to hand the postseason hardware to Messi and his teammates.

Messi, who signed with Inter Miami in 2023 on a two-and-a-half year contract, picked up an assist in the win and in the process set the record for all-time career assists. It was the first MLS postseason trophy for Messi and the club, and Alcaraz watched as the milestone unfolded from a prominent role in the presentation.

When the match began, Messi winked at Alcaraz as he ran onto the pitch, a gesture that echoed their first meeting at the 2023 Laureus World Sports Awards. The six-time Grand Slam singles champion later greeted other Inter Miami stars including Sergio Busquets, Rodrigo De Paul, Jordi Alba and Luis Suarez. A clip of that entrance attracted nearly 170,000 likes on MLS’ official Instagram account.

Alcaraz was presented with a custom Miami jersey that read “Carlitos” and embraced the winning players after handing over the trophy, creating one of the evening’s most photographed moments. The occasion generated significant reaction on social media, with one user writing, “The GOAT and future GOAT of tennis,” and another calling it “a legendary crossover.”

The event combined a tennis year-end celebration with a major moment in U.S. soccer: a champion from one sport recognizing a champion from another on the field of play. © AFP or licensors

Carlos Alcaraz watched from the sidelines as Lionel Messi and Inter Miami CF celebrated a commanding 5-1 victory over New York City FC, then handed the MLS Eastern Conference trophy to the team in a brief ceremony. The world No. 1 had accepted his second ATP year-end No. 1 trophy at the year-end Nitto ATP Finals in Turin earlier this month and was in Fort Lauderdale to witness Messi make history.

The 38-year-old joined Inter Miami in 2023 on a two-and-a-half year contract and contributed an assist in the match, a pass that set the record for all-time career assists. When the game began, Messi winked at Alcaraz when running onto the pitch, mimicking his acknowledgment of Alcaraz from their first-ever meeting at the 2023 Laureus World Sports Awards. The six-time Grand Slam singles champion later greeted the club’s other stars, including Sergio Busquets, Rodrigo De Paul, Jordi Alba and Luis Suarez.

A clip of the entrance drew heavy attention online and racked up nearly 170,000 likes on MLS’ official Instagram account. After the match, Alcaraz presented Messi and the Inter Miami players with the Eastern Conference trophy and was given a custom Miami jersey which reads “Carlitos.” He embraced members of the winning side in a moment that quickly generated social media reaction.

Fans chimed in on X with enthusiastic posts. “The GOAT and future GOAT of tennis,” wrote one X user, while another dubbed it “a legendary crossover.” The scene was a crossover of two sports at different peaks: one player marking another’s club achievement, the other adding another milestone to an already storied career. For Alcaraz, the appearance was a high-profile offseason stop; for Messi, it was another step in a transformative chapter with Inter Miami.

Swiss player Mika Brunold, ranked No. 307 on the ATP list, announced on Saturday that he is gay in an emotional Instagram statement. The 21-year-old, the Swiss No. 6, made the post to address a personal decision and to raise the profile of the subject within sport.

Brunold, a 6-foot-3 right-hander who plays primarily on the ATP Challenger Tour, wrote that he was coming out “to take a step for myself, but also because I think it’s not talked about enough in sports.” He added a broader reflection: “I believe that in an ideal world, we wouldn’t even need to ‘come out’ at all,” and, “I’ve been thinking a lot about how to talk about this. And while it hasn’t always been easy, hiding it and pretending to be someone I’m not was never an option.” The statement also included the line, “Hiding it and pretending to be someone I’m not was never an option,” as he explained his decision.

Brunold reached a career-high ranking of No. 289 in August and has compiled notable results on the Challenger circuit this season, advancing to two semifinals and three additional quarterfinals in Challenger events. He also nearly advanced in qualifying against Reilly Opelka, saving a match in which Brunold had six match points in a qualifying match.

His announcement follows another public coming out by an active male player last year, when Joao Lucas Reis da Silva shared photos of himself and his boyfriend last December, becoming the first active, male tennis pro on the ATP tour to come out.

Brunold’s post drew supportive responses from several fellow professionals, including Viktorija Golubic, Leandro Riedi, Eva Lys and Kim Clijsters. The Swiss tennis federation also left a supportive comment on his post. Brunold said he wanted to take a personal step while contributing to a broader conversation about how sexuality is discussed in sport.