One amazing thing about Inter Miami’s offseason tour is getting a window into the fascinating communities they visit in South America. Perhaps our favorite: Alianza Lima, the most popular team in Peru. This iconic side has produced numerous cult heroes over the years, like Claudio Pizarro, Paolo Guerrero, Jefferson Farfán, and the great Teófilo Cubillas. This last one has a special connection to American soccer history, having dazzled South Florida in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s playing for the Fort Lauderdale Strikers of the NASL.

Countless times, we’ve heard older fans, players, and photographers across the US describe what it was like to watch this mesmerizing number 10 play in our country—many crediting Cubillas’ brilliance as a key catalyst for soccer’s boom in South Florida. Now, almost half a century later, we got to see a team from that very region visit Lima, the home of the legend himself. It felt like history gently folding back on itself.

Even with Messi, DePaul, Suárez, and numerous other stars amongst their ranks, Inter Miami fell 3-0 at the hands of Cubillas’ beloved boyhood club. It was an evening that the Alianza Lima faithful savored quite sweetly, despite it only being a friendly. And throughout the day, the scenes on the pitch, in the stands, and in the streets showed us why this historic club has long been the home of many talented, expressive Peruvian players who’ve gone on to make an impact in every corner of the globe—including the States.

Photography by: Willy Escurra

In front of a packed Estadio Alejandro Villanueva in Lima, the defending MLS Cup champions fell 3–0 to Alianza Lima on Saturday night, opening their 2026 campaign with more questions than answers. The occasion — Alianza’s annual “Noche Blanquiazul” celebration — saw Inter Miami visit one of the top sides in Peru, with veteran striker Paolo Guerrero at the helm.

Guerrero, now 42 and still razor-sharp inside the box, struck twice in a six-minute first-half burst that swung the match decisively in the hosts’ favor. The opener arrived in the 29th minute after Miami debutant Dayne St. Clair made an initial save with his foot, only for Guerrero to pounce on the rebound and nod home. Six minutes later, he punished a defensive lapse again, finishing clinically to double the lead and ignite the crowd.

For Miami, it was their first outing since lifting MLS Cup in December, and the rust showed. Lionel Messi, flanked by familiar partners Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, found flashes of space but little rhythm. The visitors’ best first-half look came on a Messi free kick that drifted over the bar.

The clearest opportunity to shift momentum arrived early in the second half. De Paul slipped a precise pass into the path of Luis Suárez, unmarked in front of goal on his 39th birthday. The finish, however, betrayed him — a rushed effort sent high over the crossbar. Minutes later, head coach Javier Mascherano withdrew Messi, Suárez, and De Paul just past the hour mark, signaling that fitness, not result, remained the priority.

Alianza never loosened its grip. Luis Ramos added a third in the 73rd minute, finishing off a well-worked move to cap a commanding display from the Peruvian side.

Beyond the scoreline, the night marked the beginning of a new chapter for Miami. With Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets retired, several new faces were introduced, including St. Clair and Sergio Reguilón, the latter forced off early with an apparent knee issue. Six players made their club debuts, and academy products earned minutes in a setting that felt far more competitive than a typical January friendly.

The result, while lopsided, hardly sounded alarms one week into camp. Preseason tours are as much about reintegration and evaluation as cohesion. Still, the margin of defeat underscored how much work lies ahead before Miami opens its MLS title defense next month.

The Champions Tour rolls on with a trip to Medellín to face Atlético Nacional.