After Inter Miami’s miserable preseason concludes with a 1-1 draw against Newell’s, opposition players are lining up to face Lionel Messi.
On the field, Inter Miami ended a dismal preseason campaign on Thursday night in Florida with a 1-1 tie against Newell’s Old Boys.
Shanyder Borgelin, an international for Haiti, gave Miami the lead with a header in the 64th minute, but Franco Diaz subsequently pulled one back for Argentina.
Messi onto the pitch at the beginning of the match and continued to play until the hour mark, against his boyhood club.
After a brilliant dribble in the 31st minute, he missed a low shot.
Shortly after, he narrowly missed the mark with a long-range free-kick.
Highlights: Newell’s Old Boys 1-0 Inter MiamiÂ
Miami was playing seven games in a busy preseason.
Miami’s preseason program was as much a marketing ploy as it was an attempt to improve squad cohesion and fitness levels. The Messi roadshow of 2024 had begun.
The reason Thursday’s opponents were chosen was because Messi’s childhood team, Newell’s, was based in Rosario, Argentina.
When Messi returned to the pitch for the traditional post-game handshakes at full time, a queue of Newell’s players had formed, all eager to get their picture taken with him.
One by one, he graciously consented by posing with them all.
Now that the preseason is over, Miami’s 2024 season will officially start on Wednesday, February 21.
