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11 months ago
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Inter Miami will take on Japanese champions Vissel Kobe in Tokyo on February 7, the club announced on Friday.
The game will take place at the Japan National Stadium as part of Miami's 2024 preseason tour, with Lionel Messi and Co already slated to play in Riyadh and Hong Kong.
As well as helping the team prepare for the 2024 MLS season, the tour also represents an effort to build Inter Miami's global audience.
'Tokyo is an inspiring destination with a fervent (soccer) community that we're looking forward to getting acquainted with,' the club's chief business officer Xavier Asensi said.
'We're thrilled to visit Japan as one of our stops as we continue to bring joy to our global fanbase.
'Our aspiration remains to make our fans' dreams come true, and we believe this match will be a fantastic occasion for them to look forward to, and a wonderful moment for our players.'
Inter Miami will face off against J-League champions Vissel Kobe on February 7 in Tokyo
Lionel Messi and Co will prepare for the new season against this year's J-League winners
Vissel Kobe is the former club of Spanish soccer legend Andres Iniesta. The midfielder will be at the game to watch the Japanese champions play against his former Barcelona teammates Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba.
Together, Iniesta, Messi, Busquets and Alba won the Champions League and four La Liga titles for the Catalan side.
'Vissel Kobe is a powerhouse club in Asia coming off of a historic season after winning the J1 League, so we're thrilled about this opportunity to sharpen our team in a match like this one,' Miami sporting director Chris Henderson said.
'We continue to look for the best ways to prepare for 2024, and feel confident this match and this tour will help us do that.'
Inter Miami already announced games in Riyadh and Hong Kong during the preseason tour
Legendary Spanish midfielder Andres Iniesta played for Vissel Kobe after leaving Barcelona
Inter Miami shot to prominence after signing Messi in July, seven months after he led Argentina to victory at the World Cup in Qatar.
With Messi at the forefront, Miami won the inaugural Leagues Cup and reached the US Open Cup final. But Miami had the worst record in MLS before Messi arrived and the 36-year-old failed to drag them into the playoffs.
Messi is preparing for his first full season in the US, with Luis Suarez linked with a move to South Florida in 2024.
The club had already announced matches with the El Salvador national team and Saudi club Al-Hilal on January 19 and 29, respectively.
Miami will remain in Saudi Arabia to face Cristiano Ronaldo and Al-Nassr on February 1 before traveling to face the Hong Kong national team three days later.
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