Lionel Messi shows glimpses of his genius on Fifa’s stage of fakery as Club World Cup begins

A largely incoherent Inter Miami was held to a scoreless draw by Al Ahly as the opening ceremony outshined the football on the pitch.

MESSY MATCH: Inter Miami's Lionel Messi and goalkeeper Oscar Ustari stand next to the trophy prior to the Club World Cup opening game. Pic: AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell.

Well, this was at least a first.

Gianni was right on that front. On a clammy, boisterous, vaguely hallucinogenic night at the Hard Rock Stadium, the opening act of Fifa’s billion-dollar death star, the newly bulked and tanned Club World Cup, did produce something new.