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(VIDEO) They nearly finished his career, what happened to Messi in a friendly game

Inter Miami's historic trip to Peru was marred by a potentially dangerous tackle on Lionel Messi

By Sebastián Hernadez

Is This the Worst Tackle in Friendly History?. Photo: Instagram
Is This the Worst Tackle in Friendly History?. Photo: Instagram

Inter Miami's friendly against Universitario de Deportes in Lima, Peru was a historic moment for the MLS club, marking their first game ever played in South America. While the match itself ended in a scoreless draw, with Inter Miami ultimately winning 5-4 on penalties, the real drama occurred off the ball.

A video circulating online shows a particularly aggressive tackle by Universitario player William Riveros on none other than Lionel Messi. The hard challenge, deemed by many as reckless and unnecessary for a friendly, sparked outrage among fans and raised concerns about Messi's well-being.

Riveros Tackle on Messi Causes Outrage

Thankfully, Messi appeared to be unharmed by the tackle and continued playing for 72 minutes, much to the delight of the Peruvian crowd who gave him a standing ovation. While Messi didn't have a high-flying performance, his presence alone was enough to make the game a memorable one for the fans at the Monumental.

This incident, however, has reignited the debate about the intensity of friendly matches. While these games are meant to be preparatory and entertaining, some argue that such harsh tackles are unacceptable and could potentially jeopardize players' careers.

Despite the scare, Inter Miami managed to secure a victory in their first South American appearance, adding another win to their preseason tour. The goals in the penalty shootout were scored by Julian Gressel, 17-year-old Santiago Morales, David Ruiz, Benjamin Cremaschi, and Yannick Bright.

This friendly match will be remembered not only for being Inter Miami's debut in South America but also for the controversial tackle that nearly ended Messi's career. Fortunately, the Argentine star escaped without serious injury, allowing fans to breathe a sigh of relief.

Topics

Lionel Messi

Inter de Miami


Sebastián Hernadez

Sebastián Hernadez

I am Sebastián Hernández Cárdenas, a Colombian sports journalist born in the vibrant city of Barranquilla, Colombia. With an innate passion for sports, I have dedicated my career to covering the most important events and news in the sports world.I have been fortunate to work in some of the most prestigious media outlets in Colombia and Latin America. I was part of the ESPN team, where I covered high-level sporting events and interviewed personalities from the world of sports. I have also worked ...

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