In the middle of preseason with
Inter Miami
,
Lionel Messi
will embark on a tour around the world this Friday that will take him to travel
more than 37 thousand kilometers in twenty days
, traveling through America and Asia, ahead of the official start of the season in the
MLS
, which will be February 21st.
The agenda consists of six friendly matches in five countries, which will require trips to El Salvador, the United States, Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong and Japan, in that order.
At the beginning of the tour, the first stop will be San Salvador, in
El Salvador
, on January 19 at the Cuscatlán stadium for a friendly against the local team.
There in Central America will be the premiere of the 2024 version of
Gerardo Martino
's team , with
Luis Suárez
as star reinforcement.
Three days later, Inter Miami has a duel against
FC Dallas
scheduled at the Cotton Bowl Stadium in Dallas.
It will be on Monday the 22nd and will serve as a stopover for the longest part of the trip, which will take him to the Far East to play another four games.
A week after the match against Argentine Alan Velasco's FC Dallas, Messi's team will board a private plane to fly to
Saudi Arabia
, where they will have a double date that promises stellar clashes.
At the start of the tour of Asia, on Monday, January 29, they will face Neymar Jr.'s
Al Hilal
, although the Brazilian will not be able to play because he is recovering from a serious knee injury.
His reunion with Messi is a mystery because until recently the Brazilian was in his country.
Messi already played against Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr a year ago, when he wore the PSG shirt.
Photo: FRANCK FIFE / AFP.
A few days later, on February 1st, there is a guaranteed top photo: Inter Miami will face
Al Nassr
,
and Leo will hug his lifelong rival, Cristiano Ronaldo.
After that clash in the land of sheikhs and petrodollars, Inter Miami will continue heading east to land in Hong Kong,
China
, where on February 4,
a team made up of the stars of the league will play against the
Hong Kong All-Stars
local.
In the last phase of the marathon tour, Inter Miami will arrive in
Japan
to face
Vissel Kobe
on Wednesday the 7th in the capital,
Tokyo
.
It will not be a simple "friendly": the presence of Andrés Iniesta, a footballer who said goodbye to that club, is expected, and who will have the chance to reunite not only with Messi but also with his former teammates Suárez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba.
From there, with all the jet lag in the world on their back (literally) and several million dollars raised,
David Beckham
's team will take the last plane that will transport them to the United States but this time crossing the skies of the Pacific Ocean.
Messi and Suárez, the most anticipated reunion at Inter Miami.
Photo: Chris Arjoon / AFP.
In addition to the benefits it will receive for playing each of the matches, the American team's strategy is to strengthen its presence in the Asian market, where Messi is a marketing phenomenon that both Barcelona and the Argentine National Team already knew how to nurture.
To give value to Inter Miami's journey through the East and the phenomenon that Messi provokes throughout the world, it is worth mentioning that only one MLS team has scheduled friendlies outside the borders of North America: Real Salt Lake, which will play three games in Portugal.
On the way home it's Newell's
As if it were a reward for so many miles traveled, Messi will give himself a treat on February 15 when he has the last preseason match, nothing less than against Newell's and in his new home, the DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, where he acts as home .
That clash against Leprosy will be in the week prior to Messi's first official match, on Wednesday, February 21 against Real Salt Lake.
The first step to a very busy agenda that until March includes commitments for MLS but also for the Concacaf Champions League and two friendlies with the Argentine National Team in China.