Messi, Inter Miami begin preseason with a 0-0 draw against El Salvador

Lionel Messi’s 2024 preseason for Inter Miami CF kicked off with scoreless draw against the El Salvador national team on Friday night.

There had been unprecedented buzz about the match for four weeks that Argentina star Lionel Messi, the biggest soccer draw in the world, would play.

Thousands of local fans greeted each Miami player as they took to the field of a sold-out Cuscatlán Stadium at San Salvador. Many of the fans wore Messi jerseys. The fans cheered loudly every time he touched the ball, and sent him off with waves.

Messi got three former Barcelona standouts Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba as his new teammate for the upcoming MLS season.

All four played only the first half of their first preseason game. However, the match concluded in a scoreless draw.

Messi reunited with Suarez in Miami after the duo played six seasons together with Barcelona.

Fans crowded the Cuscatlán stadium several hours before the game started. Nayib Bukele, president of El Salvador, met Messi and hosted the team at the Presidential House ahead of the game.

How performance of Messi and Inter Miami were against El Salvador?

Messi got chances of a couple of scoring and set up Alba for a scoring chance in the 39th minute, but to no avail as goalkeeper Mario González bounced the shot.

First change was in the first half, but came up short as he kicked a free kick into a crowd of defenders and missed a shot on goal in the 35th minute. Besides, Alba also missed a shot on goal.

Why did Inter Miami’s Facundo Farias leave the field?

Inter Miami will finish this match with 10 players on the pitch, instead of 11 as Facundo Farias, one of Inter Miami’s young, left with an apparent knee injury just before the 70th minute of action.

Messi leaves match at halftime

As the second half began, Messi and three other Miami’s players were substituted out of Friday’s match against El Salvador. Messi was not on the pitch, but walked out with Busquets and Alba next to him.

Although Messi failed to score in his action and missed a free kick in the final minute of the first half and another shot in the 35th minute, Messi’s presence was felt and touched the ball every time, creating cheer among fans in El Salvador loudly.

What do we know about Inter Miami’s next game?

The next preseason game for Inter Miami will be Monday night against FC Dallas at Cotton Bowl Stadium in Dallas.