Last night, Lionel Messi faced his childhood team, Newell’s Old Boys, and tried to net a rare “Olimpico” goal.
Inter Miami concluded their readiness for the upcoming MLS season with a final friendly match at DRV PNK Stadium.
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His initial club, where Messi spent five formative years before joining Barcelona, stood as his opponent.
Messi’s encounter with Newell’s was charged with emotion, as he stood alongside Maxi Rodriguez and manager Gerardo Martino, holding up Newell’s shirts before kickoff.
The match ended in a 1-1 draw, as Shanyder Borgelin put the hosts ahead before Franco Diaz equalized in the 83rd minute.
Despite previous injury setbacks that sidelined him from a friendly in Hong Kong, Messi played for 60 minutes in front of a crowd of 18,000.
During the game, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner seized the chance to attempt the one type of goal missing from his repertoire.
In the 45th minute, Inter earned a corner from the right, and Messi opted to aim for goal.
Messi attempted to curl the ball towards the goal in a clear effort to score directly, but the shot lacked enough pace.
Messi again with the Olimpico attempt pic.twitter.com/gKxpqn2gEU
— Footy Weekly (Banky) (@FootyBanks) February 16, 2024
The term “Olimpico” for a goal straight from a corner originated from Argentina’s Cesareo Onzari’s achievement against reigning Olympic champions Uruguay in 1942.
Both David Beckham and Thierry Henry, playing for MLS teams, have replicated this feat, and Messi appears to be aiming to join this exclusive club.
He previously tried it while playing for Argentina against Paraguay in October, hitting the post, and came close in a friendly against FC Dallas last month.
In this instance, Dutch goalkeeper Maarten Paes stretched across his goal to make an excellent save.
Reacting to the game against Newell’s, Messi took to Instagram to write: “A very special game to end the preseason!!!”
