In Tokyo, Lionel Messi made a short but impactful appearance for Inter Miami during their exhibition match on Wednesday, following a disappointing outing in Hong Kong. Despite his brief time on the pitch, Messi's presence electrified his teammates and stirred excitement among fans, though some still longed for more from the soccer icon.
Entering the game as a substitute for the final 30 minutes, Messi injected energy into the match and nearly broke the deadlock in the 80th minute with two close-range shots. The first was brilliantly saved by goalkeeper Shota Aria, while the second was cleared off the line by the vigilant Vissel Kobe defense.
With the game deadlocked at 0-0 after regulation time, the match proceeded to a penalty shootout, where Vissel Kobe emerged victorious with a 4-3 win. Despite his influence during the game, Messi did not step up to take a penalty, eliciting jeers from the disappointed crowd of 28,614 at Tokyo's National Stadium, which has a capacity of 68,000.