Inter Miami’s Argentine star Lionel Messi scored a fantastic goal against Barcelona Guayaquil in the American team’s final pre-season match for the new season.
In the 30th minute of the friendly match held at the Monumental Stadium in Guayaquil in front of 55,000 spectators, Messi received the ball in midfield, advanced into the penalty area, tricked one defender with a backheel move, evaded another, and then fired a left-footed shot that settled into the home team’s net.
Messi was not content with that, as he also provided the decisive pass from which his teammate Germán Bertrami scored the go-ahead goal (2-1) in stoppage time of the first half.
Messi, who participated in the match for 58 minutes, delivered a great performance, challenging the pace of the game and the physical strength of the opposing team, along with the high temperatures.
It was noted that “Messi has not lost his magic and started the World Cup year with great strength,” in reference to the World Cup tournament scheduled for next summer, before adding, “The mentioned minutes were enough for the ‘Flea’ to prove that, at 38 years old, he is still capable of leading Inter Miami and the Argentine national team in the best possible way.”
Inter Miami played 3 matches in its pre-season tour of South America, losing the first, winning the second, and drawing the third.
Results of Inter Miami’s Pre-Season Matches for the 2026 Season:
- Alianza Lima (Peru) 3-0 Inter Miami
- Atlético Nacional (Colombia) 1-2 Inter Miami.
- Barcelona Guayaquil 2-2 Inter Miami.
Inter Miami will play its final pre-season match for the new season next Saturday, facing Independiente del Valle at the Juan Ramón Loubriel Stadium in the city of Bayamón, Puerto Rico.
Inter Miami is scheduled to begin its official matches for the new season when it visits Los Angeles FC in the early hours of Sunday, February 22, at BMO Stadium.
Last season (2025), Messi led Inter Miami to win the MLS Cup for the first time in the club’s history, following a 3-1 victory over Vancouver Whitecaps in the final on December 6.
Inter Miami
Inter Miami is a professional soccer club based in Miami, Florida, founded in 2018 and co-owned by David Beckham. The club began play in Major League Soccer (MLS) in 2020 and plays its home matches at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale.
Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi is an Argentine professional footballer widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. His history is defined by a record-breaking career at FC Barcelona, where he won numerous trophies before moving to Paris Saint-Germain in 2021 and later to Inter Miami in 2023.
Barcelona Guayaquil
Barcelona Guayaquil refers to the twin cities of Barcelona and Guayaquil in Ecuador, which were historically separate settlements founded in the 16th century. They were officially merged in 1906 to form the modern city of Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, though the combined name is still used for the urban area.
Monumental Stadium
The Monumental Stadium, officially named Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti, is the home stadium of the Argentine football club River Plate. It was inaugurated in 1938 and has since undergone several major expansions, becoming the largest stadium in Argentina. It has hosted numerous significant matches, including the 1978 FIFA World Cup Final.
Guayaquil
Guayaquil is the largest city and main port of Ecuador, founded in 1537 by Spanish conquistador Francisco de Orellana. It has historically served as the country’s commercial and economic heart, with its iconic Malecón 2000 riverfront promenade showcasing its revitalized urban center.
Germán Bertrami
Germán Bertrami is a small town in the province of Santa Fe, Argentina, named after the Italian immigrant and landowner who founded it in the late 19th century. Its history is tied to the agricultural development and European settlement of the Argentine Pampas during that period.
World Cup
The FIFA World Cup is an international football tournament first held in 1930 in Uruguay. Organized by FIFA, it is held every four years and has grown into one of the most widely viewed and followed sporting events in the world.
Alianza Lima
Alianza Lima is a historic Peruvian football club founded in 1901 in the La Victoria district of Lima by a group of young workers. It is one of the most popular and successful clubs in Peru, with a passionate fanbase and a long-standing rivalry with Universitario de Lima.
Peru
Peru is a South American country renowned for the ancient Inca Empire and its iconic citadel of Machu Picchu, built in the 15th century. Its history spans millennia, with earlier complex cultures like the Norte Chico civilization, and it later became the center of the Spanish Viceroyalty following conquest in the 16th century.
Atlético Nacional
Atlético Nacional is a professional football club based in Medellín, Colombia, founded in 1947. It is renowned as one of the country’s most successful teams and is historically significant as the first Colombian club to win the Copa Libertadores, achieving this in 1989. The club is also widely recognized for its philosophy of promoting exclusively Colombian players for much of its history, earning it the nickname “El Rey de Copas” (The King of Cups).
Colombia
Colombia is a country in northwestern South America with a rich pre-Columbian history, including civilizations like the Muisca and Tairona. It was colonized by Spain in the 16th century, gaining independence in 1819, and its modern culture reflects a blend of indigenous, European, and African influences. Key cultural sites include the historic walled city of Cartagena, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the archaeological park of San Agustín, which features ancient monumental stone statues.
Independiente del Valle
Independiente del Valle is an Ecuadorian professional football club based in Sangolquí, known for its remarkable success in international competitions despite its relatively recent founding in 1958. The club gained widespread recognition by winning the 2016 Copa Sudamericana and the 2019 and 2022 Copa Libertadores sub-tournaments, establishing itself as a model for youth development in South American football.
Juan Ramón Loubriel Stadium
The Juan Ramón Loubriel Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium located in Bayamón, Puerto Rico, primarily used for soccer and concerts. It opened in 1974 and is the historic home stadium for the Puerto Rico Islanders soccer team, hosting numerous international matches and tournaments.
Bayamón
Bayamón is a city in northern Puerto Rico, founded in 1772 and known historically for its sugarcane industry. Today, it is a major suburban center and home to cultural sites like the Parque de las Ciencias and the Museo de Arte de Bayamón.
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico is a Caribbean island and unincorporated U.S. territory, originally inhabited by the Taíno people before becoming a Spanish colony for over four centuries following Christopher Columbus’s arrival in 1493. It was ceded to the United States in 1898 after the Spanish-American War, and its current political status as a commonwealth was established in 1952, sparking ongoing debate about statehood, independence, or continued territorial status.
Los Angeles FC
Los Angeles FC is a professional soccer club based in Los Angeles, California, that began play in Major League Soccer (MLS) in 2018. The club quickly established itself, winning the MLS Cup in 2022 and playing its home matches at the Banc of California Stadium (now BMO Stadium).
BMO Stadium
BMO Stadium is a soccer-specific venue in Los Angeles, California, that opened in 2018 as Banc of California Stadium. It is the home of Major League Soccer’s Los Angeles FC and was renamed BMO Stadium in 2023 following a sponsorship agreement. The stadium was built on the site of the former Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena.
MLS Cup
The MLS Cup is the annual championship match of Major League Soccer (MLS), the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. First contested in 1996, the match concludes the MLS Cup Playoffs and awards the Philip F. Anschutz Trophy to the winning club.
Vancouver Whitecaps
The Vancouver Whitecaps are a professional soccer club based in Vancouver, Canada, originally founded in 1974 and playing in the North American Soccer League. The current MLS franchise was established in 2009, reviving the historic name and continuing the city’s soccer tradition.
