Lionel Messi nearly completed his unrivalled goals catalogue in stunning fashion playing for Inter Miami on Monday.
The Herons played their second friendly ahead of the new MLS season, having drawn 0-0 with the El Salvador national team on Saturday.
Inter's latest fixture was against fellow MLS side FC Dallas, with Gerardo Martino's men travelling to the Cotton Bowl for the fixture.
Messi, Luis Suarez, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets all started but the quartet of Barcelona legends couldn't prevent a 1-0 defeat following Jesus Ferreira's strike three minutes in.
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It was all about fitness and match rhythm but Messi came very close to scoring one of the best goals of his career.
Mere minutes after Ferreira had scored what proved to be the only goal of the game, Inter had a corner from the right.
Messi came over to take the inswinger but had a cunning plan up his sleeve. He paid close attention to the position of Dutch goalkeeper Maarten Paes and tried to outwit him.
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The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner attempted to pull off an outrageous 'Olimpico' attempt.
Messi has never scored directly from a corner before and it's probably the only type of goal he hasn't produced.
The curler, which Messi definitely meant, was sailing right into the net but Paes displayed superb reflexes to dive and keep it out.
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The creative effort was captured on MLS' coverage but it was made even more impressive by a fan angle which showed just how close Messi was to scoring another insane goal.
It seems as though Messi is desperate to score straight from a corner, having hit the post while playing for Argentina against Paraguay back in October.
A corner goal has the 'Olimpico' name following the feat from Argentina's Cesareo Onzari against reigning Olympic champions Uruguay back in 1942.
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The likes of David Beckham and Thierry Henry have both scored directly from corners playing for MLS sides.
Topics: Inter Miami, Lionel Messi, MLS, Barcelona
Josh Lawless