Messi will only return to the field early next year in the friendly match between Inter Miami and El Salvador, but right now the event has caused a lot of controversy.

After finishing November’s FIFA Days reunion with Argentina, Lionel Messi entered the winter break early. He is only expected to return to play early next year with Inter Miami in the 2024 MLS pre-season tour.

Currently, David Beckham’s team has officially scheduled a friendly match against El Salvador on January 19 in the capital San Salvador. This country is currently ranked 78th on the FIFA rankings.

Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami will play a friendly match against El Salvador next January (photo: Getty)

Although this event is more than a month away, it is currently causing great controversy in the community. The reason is because of the exorbitant ticket price for a spot to watch a friendly match that the organizers recently announced.

Specifically, according to El Gráfico, the cheapest ticket to watch the friendly match between Inter Miami and El Salvador is 200 USD, and the most expensive is 475 USD. However, considering that El Salvador is the third poorest country in Central America after Nicaragua and Honduras, with an average salary of 420 USD… the above price is too expensive for local fans to access.

Ticket prices to watch the friendly match between Inter Miami and El Salvador are described as “exorbitantly expensive” compared to the average income of local fans (photo: EL GRÁFICO)

Obviously, as the parent club, Inter Miami wants to earn a certain profit from the friendly match with the presence of Lionel Messi on the field. However, this match will take place at El Salvador’s stadium and it is unreasonable for them to charge exorbitant prices like at DRV PNK’s home stadium every time they play MLS.

There hasn’t even been any commitment that Messi will definitely play. And if he really doesn’t participate in this friendly match, it’s like Inter Miami took advantage of M10’s name and appeal to make a profit.

Previously, Inter Miami’s tour plan was determined to be in China but was canceled due to some issues related to commercial cooperation. Meanwhile, at the end of last month, Saudi Arabia reported that the MLS club would play a friendly match with Al Nassr in February.

However, Inter Miami later issued a statement denying it and only announced the match against El Salvador. However, this is also said to be a media trick of this club to wait for the most appropriate announcement time.