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Come Fan with UsSaturday, June 20, 2026

Lionel Messi went on Japanese TV and had to shoot at a massive inflatable goalkeeper

James Dator
James Dator has been covering a wide range of sports for SB Nation for over a decade, with a special focus on the NFL.

Never ever change, Japanese television. The latest trip to the weird comes courtesy of this clip from a show that asked Lionel Messi to shoot goals against a giant inflatable goalie that looks suspiciously like Messi himself.

This isn’t the first time Messi has been on Japanese TV, and we hope it isn’t the last -- because weird things are fun. Since everything these days is about comparing Messi to Cristiano Ronaldo, we can firmly say that this appearance wasn’t nearly as weird as Ronaldo’s.

ronaldo

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