How Lionel Messi turned an SEC football cathedral into something global
NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...
AUBURN, AL – A north-bound drive on South College Street felt a bit like a pulse check on the afternoon of Tuesday, June 9.
There were glimpses of powder blue adorning occasional sidewalk-dwelling passersby, and that demanded the eye's attention. Was this somebody in Auburn for what was to come? By the time that drive reached Toomer's Corner, at the intersection of South College and Magnolia Avenue, there wasn't any pulse to check because what the eyes saw was the equivalent of holding a beating heart.
Hordes of Argentina kits surrounded the crosswalks, and the line for a lemonade at Toomer's Drugs rolled comfortably out the door. It was a proper foreshadowing for the evening, as Argentina faced Iceland, eventually winning 3-0 in a World Cup friendly at Jordan-Hare Stadium.
The first-of-its-kind event for Auburn packed plenty of everything: a feel that was far from the average SEC Saturday, moments that were uniquely Auburn, and, of course, Lionel Messi.
The sport's biggest star, Messi actually played in Tuesday's match after missing out on an Argentina friendly over the weekend in College Station, Texas. While he was in attendance for that match, he never played, setting a disappointing expectation for the 88,000 in attendance at Jordan-Hare.
There’s an eagle flying around the stadium pic.twitter.com/luC6ENq7oM
— Freddy🇩🇪 (@FreddyLA7) June 10, 2026
Then came the 70th minute, and the crowd pop of Messi entering. That was soon dwarfed, as Messi scored on a penalty kick in the 72nd minute to double a 1-0 Argentina lead. It was the highlight of the evening, but the fanfare around the whole affair was fascinating even if it was quite literally dampened.
Just after 4 p.m. CT, rain showers poured onto Auburn's campus, sending Lee County into a brief flood warning. Plenty were present to take part in pregame festivities, but the rain that never seemed to go away forced several into cover, putting an hour delay on gates opening.
It didn't seem to hinder much of anything.
Attendees trickled into Jordan-Hare for about two hours. A playlist of Latin music — Bad Bunny included — was the soundtrack, and the venue reached near-capacity as both Argentina and Iceland took to Pat Dye Field in pitch form to warm up.
It was clear then, whether he waved to the stands or was shown on the jumbotron, that Messi was the main attraction. The crowd roared with his image and interaction, and they did so throughout a span of 90-plus minutes that wove two worlds together.
There were all the moments that prefaced what's soon to be a raucous World Cup. A crowd adorned in Argentina colors broke into song for the final stanzas of the country's national anthem, and it conducted the noise of an environment that didn't have any explosive touchdown passes or third-and-longs for which to cheer.
There was a healthy wave heading counterclockwise for at least a minute of the match, and a fervor from the crowd (vuvuzelas included) equivalent to an amp dialing up steadily from 1 to 10. It popped into full stride when Argentina's Valentín Barco netted the night's first goal in the eighth minute.
There was also the pregame eagle flight, an Auburn football staple that highlighted the blend of it all.
Those attending with Auburn allegiances began it with the usual drawn out first-half of a "War Eagle." Then those attending who presumably had little clue what was going on eventually joined in. It met a crescendo with the scattered pop of "Eagle. Hey!" and what felt like two worlds colliding.
But it was far more than just that in terms of Auburn feel.
Ric Smith, Auburn's usual public address announcer on Saturdays, took on the same duties, including a bellowing introduction for Messi. The lights went out and phone flashlights turned on after halftime for at least a minute of "Swag Surf," a fourth-quarter tradition on Auburn football game days.
There were also plenty of Auburn notables in attendance, including most of the football and men's basketball teams, highlighted by head football coach Alex Golesh and quarterback Byrum Brown.
All in all, it wasn't one thing or the other. It was quintessentially soccer in pace and feeling. It somehow melded onto the most considerable elements of its location, and it made for a spectacle which could only be understood by those there to witness it all.
Adam Cole is the Auburn athletics beat writer for the Montgomery Advertiser. He can be reached via email at acole@gannett.com or on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, @colereporter.To support Adam's work, please subscribe to the Montgomery Advertiser.
This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Lionel Messi in Auburn: The night Jordan-Hare became something else
More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos