All over the world, Lionel Messi is known for making football fans laugh with his trick shots. The Argentine superstar and his Inter Miami teammates put on a moving show on Tuesday, away from the crowds and TV cameras. It will not be recorded in any box score.

They made the dreams of 23 very sick kids from the US and other countries come true. They wanted to meet Messi, the leader of the Inter Miami team.

The kids and their parents came to Chase Stadium from as far away as Canada and Israel. They were given special gifts in their field-level suite, such as a jersey signed by the team and personalized with their name, as well as a food and drink experience and more team stuff.

Then, they were given special access to watch Inter Miami practice in secret. After the practice, they were able to meet and talk with players such as Messi, Luis Suarez, Jordi Alba, Drake Callender, Benjamín Cremaschi, and Julian Gressel.

Defendant Marcelo Weigandt said, “Everyone dreams of good things when they go to sleep at night. We’re so glad we were able to help make these kids’ dreams come true and help them through a hard time.”

Yannick Bright, a midfielder, said, “It was great to make their dreams come true, meet their heroes, and make them smile.” That makes us very happy.

To make the event possible, Inter Miami worked with Make-A-Wish and team sponsors Royal Caribbean and Fanatics. The kids and their families spent the day on the fancy cruise ship Icon of the Seas on Saturday. They could go down the six water slides, swim in the seven pools, and see a play about The Wizard of Oz. Special items were sent to them by Fanatics.

“At the heart of Inter Miami’s ‘Freedom to Dream’ philosophy is the idea that we should go after our dreams with confidence and help our fans and community reach theirs,” said Jorge Mas, managing owner of Inter Miami. “Working with our Main Partner Royal Caribbean and Make-A-Wish to grant the wishes of these amazing kids is a moving example of how football is more than just a game; it’s a way to bring people together, bring them joy, and give them hope.” We want to use the magic of Inter Miami to make memories and lift our people through projects like these.

Royal Caribbean’s president and CEO, Michael Bayley, said:

Wish kids and their families could have life-changing moments that they will never forget. This is what Royal Caribbean’s Wishes at Sea program and our multiyear partnership with Make-A-Wish are all about. Being able to work together with our partners at Inter Miami CF on that goal is the hat trick that makes this all come together so beautifully. It shows what can be done with the power of partnership and a shared love for families and the community.