Last season’s successes and failures are now behind Lionel Messi as he looks ahead to the new season. In 2024, Messi will primarily play a full season with his team, setting their sights on bigger goals. The upcoming season has been marked with the first preseason friendly match for Inter Miami, where they’ll play against El Salvador. On January 19, they’ll face Estadio Cascatlán in El Salvador. Additionally, Inter Miami might also play matches with Argentina powerhouse River Plate.
For Messi’s Inter Miami, this preseason will mark their first anticipated international journey. Their maiden voyage takes them to Asia, starting with a club in Florida. Inter Miami announced they’ll play a friendly match against an Asian eleven selected from the top league players, the Hong Kong Eleven, on February 4 at the Hong Kong Stadium. Horacio Mas, one of the co-owners of Inter Miami, expressed enthusiasm about the Hong Kong trip, stating, “We are excited about visiting Hong Kong. It will be our first trip to Asia.”
David Beckham, another co-owner, who joined Real Madrid in 2003, also shared his anticipation of playing in the beautiful city of Hong Kong. Beckham said, “I’ve spent quite a bit of time in Asia during my career. I’m excited to take Inter Miami to a wonderful city like Hong Kong for the first time.”
Chris Henderson, Inter Miami’s Chief Soccer Officer and Sporting Director, emphasized their eagerness for this journey, stating, “We’re looking forward to this trip for the club’s unique experience. Beyond that, it’s a fantastic opportunity to prepare for the 2024 season. These matches will expose our players to new opponents and environments.”
At the end of the 2023 season, Inter Miami had plans to travel to China. However, due to “unforeseen circumstances,” that trip was canceled. Tickets for the matches in Hong Kong will go on sale from December 15, apart from arranging other preseason matches for Inter Miami.
Fans are eagerly awaiting Messi’s new look in the preseason. After his arrival in the United States in June, the World Champion has changed the landscape of football on and off the field. Messi claimed his first trophy with Miami in a historic victory.
Despite injuries and fatigue towards the end of the season, Messi couldn’t perform at his best, missing out on winning the MLS Cup final and even securing a playoff spot for MLS. Nonetheless, his impact on American soccer has been tremendous, even in a short period.
