On Monday night, soccer enthusiasts in Dallas witnessed a No. 10 making an impact, but it wasn't Inter Miami's star Lionel Messi. Instead, it was FC Dallas' Jesus Ferreira who scored three minutes into the preseason match, resulting in a 1-0 loss for Messi and Inter Miami at Cotton Bowl Stadium.
Inter Miami remains scoreless after two preseason matches in El Salvador and Dallas, with a week before their next game in their global tour.
Messi, along with Inter Miami players Luis Suárez, Sergio Busquets, and newcomer Julian Gressel (MLS Cup champion with Columbus Crew last season), played the first 64 minutes before being substituted out.
Despite Messi and Suárez displaying a familiar understanding on the field, their passes to set up shots on goal didn't result in changing the score or reminding fans of their glory days with FC Barcelona. Messi missed three shots, and Suárez missed three opportunities during the match.
Wearing a black Inter Miami jersey with long sleeves, Messi left the pitch in the 87th minute, acknowledging fans in the wet, 40-degree night.
This game differed from the thrilling encounter Messi and Inter Miami had against FC Dallas last August, where they came back from deficits of 3-1 and 4-2, ultimately winning on penalty kicks during the Leagues Cup tournament match.
It was the second preseason game for Messi and Inter Miami, with a busy schedule leading up to and during the 2024 MLS season. Messi and Inter Miami will return home, then embark on an extended preseason tour in Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong, and Tokyo.
In the Riyadh Season Cup, Inter Miami will face Al Hilal on Jan. 29 and Al Nassr on Feb. 1, setting up a meeting between Messi and rival Cristiano Ronaldo. The preseason continues with matches in Hong Kong on Feb. 4 and Tokyo on Feb. 7. The final preseason game is scheduled against Newell’s Old Boys at DRV PNK Stadium (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) on Feb. 15.
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