December 4 – Inter Miami and Lionel Messi’s end of MLS season trip to China may have been cancelled last month, but their globe trotting ambition hasn’t been. The club has announced they will play the El Salvador national team in January.
The match at the Estadio Cuscatlán in San Salvador will take place January 19 and will be the club’s first pre-MLS season match of 2024.
“We’re excited to start announcing our preseason plans and preparations ahead of a thrilling 2024 campaign. We look forward to facing the El Salvador national team in what will be a good first test for our squad against the best players from the country,” said chief soccer officer and sporting director Chris Henderson.
It is unusual for a national team to play against a club side and risk the embarrassment of losing. Los Cuscatlecos are managed by Rubén de la Barrera, a Spanish manager with extensive coaching experience at the club level.
The country is going through a national team rebuilding process. Having threatened to break through into the Concacaf elite nations group at the 2021 Gold Cup, in 2023 they disappointed and overhauled their coaching staff.
Most recently they finished bottom of the Concacaf Nations League A group.
The 44,800 capacity Estadio Cuscatlán is expected to be sold out for the visit of Messi.
Inter Miami have announced that all season tickets for the MLS season starting in March 2024 have been sold out.
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