Messi appears in Inter Miami’s penalty shootout defeat

After leaving his fans hanging in Hong Kong, Lionel Messi made a 30-minute appearance in Tokyo on Wednesday during Inter Miami's latest exhibition match in Asia against Vissel Kobe, although he still left some supporters yearning for more.

Messi came off the bench for the final half-hour, injected energy into his teammates, and nearly scored in the 80th minute with two close-range shots that were both blocked by the Vissel Kobe defense.

Following a goalless draw in regulation time, the match was decided by penalty kicks, with Vissel winning the shootout 4-3. 

However, Messi did not take a penalty, which prompted jeers from the crowd of 28,614 at Tokyo's National Stadium, which has a capacity of 68,000.

Nevertheless, the reaction was not as severe as the booing witnessed in Hong Kong after Messi remained on the bench for the entire game due to a groin injury, leading some fans to demand refunds.

In a rare press conference in Tokyo on Tuesday, the Argentine star expressed remorse over the public relations fiasco. He had previously stated uncertainty about his fitness for the Tokyo match, keeping fans guessing until he began warming up in the second half, drawing loud cheers from the crowd.

Vissel Kobe hit the post twice in the first half and had the better chances in a match they largely controlled.

The fixture in Tokyo marked the conclusion of Inter Miami's global promotional tour, spanning from El Salvador to Dallas, Saudi Arabia, and Hong Kong before ending in Tokyo.

Inter Miami only managed to win one of the six games during the tour. The team's preseason concludes on February 16 in Florida against Newell's Old Boys, Messi's childhood club from Rosario, Argentina, where many anticipate he will finish his career.

Inter Miami boast a roster filled with former Barcelona players, including Messi, Luis Suarez, Jordi Alba, and Sergio Busquets.

Before the match, Andres Iniesta, another former Barcelona star who played several seasons in Japan with Vissel Kobe, briefly addressed the crowd.

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