Messi's Latin American cameo: goals and assists against Barcelona in Inter Miami friendly
8 February 2026
Messi’s Latin American showcase
Messi continued his standout run for Inter Miami during their Latin American preseason tour, starting in a 2-2 friendly with Barcelona SC of Ecuador.
The match formed part of the club’s preparations for the new season and aligned with Messi’s conditioning ahead of the 2026 World Cup, as the Argentina captain aims to pace his effort over the coming months.
Messi opened Inter Miami’s account in the 31st minute, weaving through the defense in his familiar style and firing a precise shot into the net, his first goal of 2026 after two friendlies with assists.
He didn’t stop there; he provided the cross for the second goal in first-half stoppage time, a well placed delivery to new signing Germán Berterame that finished with a goal.
Messi then left the pitch after 60 minutes, making way for Luis Suárez.
A quirky twist to the night: his first goal of the year came against a side named Barcelona but not the iconic Spanish club that defined his career, rather Barcelona SC from Ecuador.
Punchline 1: If this is a warm up, the real 90 minutes might require a two hour encore.
Punchline 2: In football as in comedy, the setup is crucial and Messi has a gift for delivering the punchline with a perfect assist.
