Lionel Messi plays in Tokyo, ending Inter Miami's worldwide tour on high note

Lionel Messi entered in the second half of a match in Tokyo on Wednesday and nearly scored in 30 minutes of action, salvaging the end of Inter Miami’s worldwide preseason on a positive note. 

Messi entered in the 60th minute of Inter Miami’s match against Japanese champion Vissel Kobe at Japan National Stadium in Tokyo, and appeared close to full strength from his adductor injury, which caused him to miss Inter Miami’s match in Hong Kong on Sunday. 

Inter Miami’s match with Vissel Kobe ended in a scoreless draw, but both sides participated in penalty kicks to decide the match. Vissel Kobe won 4-3 with Messi not participating.

Messi nearly found the back of the net in the 78th minute, but his shot was blocked by the goalie. And his rebound nearly entered the net before another defender kicked it away. Messi also had several sequences where he dribbled into the penalty area in attempts to facilitate for his teammates. 

Goal or not, Messi delivered on the pitch in Tokyo after his absence due to injury in Hong Kong on Sunday, which left fans and local officials feeling duped despite watching him participate in a practice with local children one day earlier. 

Big business turned into a bout of bad business, forcing Messi to clear the air in a press conference Tuesday and play in Tokyo on Wednesday.

Inter Miami made stops in El Salvador, Dallas, Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong and Tokyo to capitalize on Messi’s mystique during its preseason. But Messi’s absence in Hong Kong was a blow to the brands of Messi, Inter Miami, and the MLS.

Messi was listed on Inter Miami’s roster and announced in the stadium as a substitute for the match. But Messi was not among his teammates warming up for the match before the game. 

When the second half began, Messi came back out of the locker room wearing a heavy jacket and long warmup pants, but wearing cleats instead of sneakers. He began warming up in the sidelines as the second half began, much to the pleasure of the fans inside Japan National Stadium. 

It appeared the rest seemed to help Messi, who entered in the 60th minute and told Gregor to keep the captain’s arm band. It was distinctly different than his brief appearance last Wednesday in Saudi Arabia where he was testing out his injury and played conservatively. 

Messi ran at a fast pace and his feet were engaged, dribbling into crowds of defenders as he tried to facilitate for teammates in the penalty area in his first five minutes. It appeared Messi ended the match unscathed.

But the same couldn’t be said for his fellow Barcelona teammates Sergio Busquets, who slowly walked off in the 25th minute with a left ankle injury, and Jordi Alba, who finished the match despite aggravating his right groin muscle. 

Luis Suarez, who missed the Hong Kong match due to knee inflammation, started in Tokyo and attempted a bicycle kick in the 72rh minute, but his left footed shot was close to the net. He came off in the 75th minute. 

Inter Miami had some tough decisions to make at halftime. Should Messi even play after Busquets and Alba suffered injuries? It would seem logical for Inter Miami to remain careful to the world’s best player. But the pressures of that decision after the backlash Messi and Inter Miami faced after he sat out in Hong Kong made the judgement call murky.

Messi left the pitch after giving away his jersey, waving to fans on his way to the locker rooms.

After two weeks in the Middle East and Asia, Inter Miami is heading home to South Florida, and will complete its travels clocking in at more than 25,000 miles in the air − enough to circle the globe once. 

What is Messi's next match, Inter Miami’s upcoming schedule?

Inter Miami returns home after its match in Tokyo on Wednesday.

One week later, it will host its final preseason match against Argentine club Newell’s Old Boys, Messi’s hometown team, on Feb. 15 at DRV PNK Stadium.

Inter Miami begins the 2024 MLS season at home against Real Salt Lake on Feb. 21, and will travel to face L.A. Galaxy on Feb. 25.