New year, new stories. Lionel Messi and Inter Miami have already started their 2026 preseason in a very special and Latin way: visiting Medelln in Colombia and Lima in Peru.

The 28-year-old captain and his teammates completed their first two friendly matches, and Leo shared a powerful and emotional message about it on his official Instagram account.

Messi dedicated a post to his rivals

The Argentine star and Inter Miami’s first match was against Alianza Lima at the Alejandro Villanueva Stadium in Peru. However, the game did not end as Javier Mascherano’s team had hoped, and they lost 3-0.

The story changed when they visited Atltico Nacional at the Atanasio Girardot Stadium in Medelln, Colombia, where they won 2-1.

Meanwhile, these two experiences were equally enriching for the ’10’, who did not hesitate to share 13 photos and videos of his time in both countries with his 511 million Instagram followers:

“We kicked off the preseason with friendlies in Peru and Colombia. Thank you very much for the welcome and affection from everyone in both countries,” Leo wrote in the post’s description, adding: “It’s always a pleasure to return to such special places in our South America!”

Fans were quick to comment on the post and show their support and affection: “Everyone knows Messi is the real GOAT,” “The vibes are just on a different level here. Truly the GOAT!”, “The best forever,” “The best in the world is from South America,” were some of the messages Leo received.

Since Lionel arrived at Inter Miami in July 2023, the club has won four titles: the Leagues Cup in 2023, the MLS Supporters’ Shield in 2024, and at the end of 2025, it won the MLS Cup Eastern Conference title and was crowned champion for the first time in its Major League Soccer history.

This year, the Herons’ goal is to try to defend their MLS title and fight again for the Leagues Cup, CONCACAF, and U.S. Open Cup.

What’s next for Messi and Inter Miami?

The team still has two preseason friendlies to play. On February 7, they will face Barcelona SC at the Monumental Banco Pichincha stadium in Ecuador.

The team will then conclude its South American tour on February 13, facing Independiente del Valle at the Banco Guayaquil Stadium in Bayamn, Puerto Rico, before returning to the United States.

Then, on February 21, Messi and company will face Los Angeles FC on the road in MLS Matchday 1 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

Inter Miami will play its first five games on the road before opening Miami Freedom Park in April.