Lionel Messi in Japan: Inter Miami Star’s Best Moments in the Island Country as Vissel Kobe Friendly Announced

Inter Miami has a treat planned for their fans from the Far East. The David-Beckham-owned franchise made a notable announcement hours ago stating that the team will be touring Japan during their pre-season with the Lionel Messi-led side set to take on J-League champions Vissel Kobe in a club friendly.

It is big news for Japanese soccer fans, who will once again witness La Pulga’s magic in front of their eyes. With the Inter Miami star set to take the stage by storm during his visit in February, we explore Lionel Messi’s best moments in the Land of the Rising Sun!

Brace against Santos in the 2011 Club World Cup final

Barcelona was on a roll during the early 2010s as the side emerged as one of the best sides in the world. The side displayed their attacking prowess in the Club World Cup in Japan in 2011, as the Spanish club lifted the title after back-to-back dominant performances. The final of the tournament saw the Blaugrana lock horns against Brazilian side Santos.

Lionel Messi was the star of the show during the finals as the Argentine talisman put on an absolute masterclass, netting two goals. Messi opened the scoreline in the 17th minute, scoring an audacious chip over the goalkeeper. Likewise, La Pulga struck again in the 82nd minute to help his side secure a 4-0 win.

Goal against Kawasaki Frontel in 2021

While Lionel Messi has made a lot of visits to Japan in Barcelona colors, 2021 saw the star make his way to the land of the rising sun, representing his new side, Paris Saint Germain. During their 2021 pre-season tour, PSG lined up some big games for the Japanese fans, with the side taking on some of the best sides from the J-League.

The first game saw PSG take on the then J-League winners Kawasaki Frontel. Contrary to what fans expected, the J-League side gave PSG one of their most demanding competition during the pre-season tour. However, it was Lionel Messi who proved to be the deciding factor as he found the net in the 32nd minute in front of a packed 65,000 crowd. La Pulga displayed his class by putting the ball in the far left corner to open the scoring as PSG bagged a 2-1 win over their opponents.

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Accuracy masterclass on national TV

Lionel Messi put out a masterclass in front of Japanese fans during a live TV show in 2018. The organizers asked la Pulga to complete a challenge where he was tasked with hitting 20 targets inside a goal in just 100 seconds. While it might have been a tough ask, the ex-Barcelona star hardly broke any sweat, completing the challenge effortlessly. 

Messi took just 82 seconds as he smashed down all the targets before giving the audience a curt smile. La Pulga has made multiple appearances on Japanese national television over the years, but his accuracy masterclass surely will go down as one of his best moments during his time in the country.

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