Inter Miami and Independiente del Valle face off in a friendly match in Puerto Rico, the last in a series of preseason games the Herons played across Latin America. Naturally, all eyes are on Lionel Messi.
The Argentine forward is the main attraction of the match and the reason Inter Miami decided to postpone the game originally scheduled for Friday, February 13. Messi was recovering from a muscle issue at the time, which made his participation impossible, so the match was rescheduled for Thursday.
Opposing them will be Independiente del Valle, one of Ecuador’s strongest teams over the past decade. They have won the domestic league twice (most recently in 2025) and have also made an impact internationally, with two Copa Sudamericana titles and a Copa Libertadores final appearance.
