He suffered the GOAT. Lionel Messi started 2026 at half speed, without pushing himself physically to avoid injuries, and with a defeat in Peru in his first match of the year, which will have as its climax the Soccer World Cup, where with Argentina he is expected to defend the title of current champion won four years ago in Qatar 2022.
In Inter Miami’s inaugural preseason game, Messi started and played 63 minutes against local Alianza Lima, who beat “Las Garzas” 3-0 with a double from veteran Peruvian striker Paolo Guerrero and the same from also Inca striker Luis Ramos.
The Argentine star was the great expectation of the “Blanquiazul Afternoon”, with which the team from the Lima district of La Victoria presented itself to its fans for the new League 1 season that will officially begin next week.
Messi was part of Miami’s starting eleven arranged by Argentine coach Javier Mascherano and formed an offensive trident along with his compatriot Rodrigo De Paul and the Uruguayan Luis Suárez.
However, the pink team played slowly, without putting all their effort into the game, aware that this was the first test of the preseason and it was better to avoid untimely injuries like the one suffered by the Spanish Sergio Reguilón in the opening minutes of the match.
Despite having freedom of movement, Messi measured his strength and the best opportunity he had in the entire match was a promising free kick for one of his masterful executions that he has accumulated throughout his entire career.
Leo opted for a shot over the barrier that went over the crossbar, a few centimeters from the goal defended by the Bolivian Guillermo Viscarra.
After that, he barely had a role again on the “Matute” field, until he was replaced in the 63rd minute by the American youth player Daniel Pinter.
This was the second time that Messi played in Peru with Inter Miami, after having done so last year also in preseason with Universitario de Deportes winning on penalties at the Monumental Stadium in Lima.
On this occasion, the former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain footballer made his debut at the Alejandro Villanueva stadium of Alianza Lima, where he had never played in his various visits to Peru with both Inter Miami and the Argentine national team.
Messi’s next scheduled performances with Inter Miami will be part of the MLS team’s South American tour, against Atlético Nacional this Saturday, January 31 in Medellín (Colombia) and on Saturday, February 7 against Barcelona in Guayaquil (Ecuador).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tYJTT7wPiw
