The real reason Lionel Messi & Inter Miami are in Japan?! Fans rush to buy limited edition tour merchandise as Taylor Twellman reacts to 'absurd' queues

Inter Miami's offseason may have ran into all sorts of issues but the tills kept ringing as the tour reached its conclusion in Japan. Miami's top brass will be relieved that Lionel Messi was finally able to take the field, emerging as a second-half substitute in a drab goalless draw with Vissel Kobe.

The tour has been beset by issues on and off the pitch but judging by the huge crowds at Inter Miami's pop-up store before the game, one particular aspect appears to be going just fine.

In response to Japan Times journalist Dan Orlowitz's post showing seemingly endless queues for merchandise, Twellman simply posted a series of explosion emojis.

From injuries, to poor results, to being booed by angry fans, it's been a preseason from hell for the Herons. How a dysfunctional tour, that has seen the squad travel thousands of miles, weighs against the commercial revenue the club has brought in is something at the top level of the club will have to decide. The conclusion of the marathon trip - that has seen them in action in El Salvador, Texas, Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong and Japan - will finally allow them some proper preparation time before competitive action returns.

The Inter Miami bandwagon finally returns home to Florida with a week of training followed by a friendly with some sentimental meaning to Messi. The Herons are set to take on his boyhood club Newell's Old Boys at DRV PNK Stadium next Friday.