Lionel Messi will add another territory to the list of places he has played during his career, as Inter Miami will visit the US territory of Puerto Rico for a pre-season friendly against Ecuadorian Serie A champions Independiente del Valle on February 13.
Although Puerto Rico is not considered an independent country, it does participate in international sporting competitions, with the men's national team ranked 156th in the January update of the FIFA world rankings. Messi has also recently faced Puerto Rico, leading Argentina to a 6–0 victory in an international friendly at Chase Stadium in Miami in October.
The trip to the Caribbean will be Inter Miami's fourth preseason game, following visits to Peru, Colombia and Ecuador, where the team will play friendlies against Alianza Lima, Atletico Nacional and Barcelona SC.
Messi has already played in 49 different countries, while his last trip to the Caribbean came at the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup, when Inter Miami defeated Jamaica's Cavalier FC 4–0 on aggregate.
Since signing with Inter Miami in 2023, Messi has played in the United States, Mexico, Canada, Jamaica, Peru, Panama, Honduras, Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia and Japan. Now, Puerto Rico will be added to that list with the upcoming friendly match.
Miami's opponent will also travel a considerable distance to arrive in Bayamon, as the American territory currently has no professional teams – there is only one amateur league, the Puerto Rico League – which would not provide sufficient preparation for the American team's 2026 MLS and Concacaf Champions Cup campaigns.
In previous eras, however, a professional team from Puerto Rico could have been a potential opponent. The island previously had the Puerto Rico Islanders, who played in the North American Soccer League and USL First Division from 2003 until their dissolution in 2012.
Bringing in the Ecuadorian Serie A champions, the Herons will face a tough opponent in their fourth preseason test, as their eyes now turn to the start of the 2026 MLS regular season, with the opening clash against Son Heung-min and Denis Bouanga's LAFC on February 21.Telegrafi
