Messi plays and has chances but Vissel Kobe beats Inter Miami 4-3 on penalties in a friendly

In a friendly match, Lionel Messi played for Inter Miami and had chances, but Vissel Kobe won 4-3 on penalties.

Lionel Messi made a brief appearance in Tokyo during Inter Miami’s recent exhibition match in Asia, sparking mixed reactions from fans. Despite a lively 30-minute stint on the field, where he energized his teammates and came close to scoring, some supporters felt they wanted more from the Argentine star.

Messi plays and has chances but Vissel Kobe beats Inter Miami 4-3 on penalties in a friendly

Messi, who initially left fans uncertain about his participation due to fitness concerns, eventually joined the game to thunderous cheers from the crowd. Inter Miami coach Gerardo Martino later revealed that Messi had felt good after Tuesday’s practice and agreed to play for 30 minutes, leaving the team satisfied with his performance.

Messi plays and has chances but Vissel Kobe beats Inter Miami 4-3 on penalties in a friendly

However, Messi’s decision not to take a penalty kick during the match puzzled many, especially considering Vissel Kobe’s eventual victory in the shootout after a 0-0 draw in regular time. This led to some disappointment among the 28,614 fans present at Tokyo’s National Stadium.

The match marked the end of Inter Miami’s global promotional tour, which included stops in El Salvador, Dallas, Saudi Arabia, and Hong Kong. Despite winning only one out of six games during the tour, Inter Miami looks forward to wrapping up their preseason on Feb. 16 in Florida, facing Messi’s former club, Newell’s Old Boys, amid speculation about Messi’s future career plans.

Inter Miami boasts a star-studded lineup of former Barcelona players, including Messi, Luis Suarez, Jordi Alba, and Sergio Busquets. Notably, Andres Iniesta, another ex-Barcelona star who played for Vissel Kobe in Japan, addressed the crowd before the match, adding to the excitement of the event.