STORY: Soccer star Lionel Messi and his Inter Miami team arrived at their hotel in Peru on Friday (January 23) to the cheers of his adoring fans ahead of their friendly match against Club Alianza Lima.

Hundreds of excited fans filled the roads outside Lima's InterContinental Hotel, where the Inter Miami team is staying, hoping to catch a glimpse of the Argentinian superstar as he arrived with this team.

Defending MLS champions Inter Miami will start their preseason tour with a friendly match against Club Alianza Lima on Saturday (January 24).

The match in Lima will be the start of a four-match Champions Tour for Inter Miami, and will also include stops in Colombia, Ecuador and Puerto Rico.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

SHOWS: LIMA, PERU (JANUARY 23, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all) (NIGHT SHOTS)

1. FANS CHEERING AND TAKING PICTURES OF INTER MIAMI TEAM BUS ARRIVING AT HOTEL

2. INTER MIAMI PLAYERS INSIDE BUS WITH CHEERING FANS ALONGSIDE

3. INTER MIAMI PLAYERS GETTING OFF BUS TO ENTER HOTEL

4. BOY WEARING LIONEL MESSI’S INTER MIAMI JERSEY HOLDING UP DRAWING HE DID FOR MESSI

5. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) FAN OF INTER MIAMI STAR LIONEL MESSI, UZIEL VIDALON GARRIDO, SAYING:

“For me, Messi is my idol as I have always watched him play. Everything I have in my room is about Messi. I have my Messi blankets, my Messi shirt, my Messi shorts, everything. I have everything about Messi because he is my idol.”

6. FANS STANDING OUTSIDE HOTEL, CHANTING, “MESSI, MESSI”

7. FAN HOLDING DRAWING OF MESSI OUTSIDE HOTEL

8. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) FAN OF INTER MIAMI STAR LIONEL MESSI, THIAGO SOUZA, SAYING:

“For me, it is an honor to be here as I have been a fan of Messi for, more or less, 10 years. It is an honor because I am a fan of Messi. I have been following Messi since he was in Barcelona, and I am still a fan ever since he left Barcelona, and I am very proud of all the things he has achieved. He is the person I admire the most in the whole world.”

9. VENDOR SELLING MESSI DOLL AND INTER MIAMI FLAG OUTSIDE HOTEL

10. FANS GATHERING OUTSIDE HOTEL WAITING FOR INTER MIAMI TEAM BUS