Lionel Messi was caught up in a chaotic moment during Inter Miami’s friendly against Independiente del Valle in Puerto Rico, after an overexcited fan ran onto the pitch and ended up taking the Argentine superstar down in the closing stages of the match.
The incident unfolded in the 88th minute at the Juan Ramon Loubriel Stadium in Bayamon. As the game was winding down, a shirtless fan broke through security and sprinted towards Messi near the centre circle. The supporter managed to reach him and wrapped his arms around the forward in an attempt to hug him.
Watch the video:
Seconds later, security rushed in to intervene. A guard tackled the fan to the ground, but in the process also knocked Messi over. For a brief moment, the situation looked worrying as the Inter Miami captain was left on the turf amid the scramble.
Messi, however, got back on his feet almost immediately and walked away calmly, appearing completely unharmed.
The late drama came at the end of what had been a productive outing for Inter Miami. Messi had come on at halftime and made an impact by converting a penalty in the 70th minute, helping Miami secure a 2-1 win. Santiago Morales scored the other goal in a match that had originally been scheduled earlier but was postponed due to a minor leg issue Messi had picked up in a previous exhibition game.
It was not the only pitch invasion of the night. At least two other fans had already made their way onto the field earlier, with one managing to snap a selfie while another got close enough for a brief interaction before being escorted away.
Inter Miami, who began their MLS season with a 3-0 defeat to LAFC, will now shift their focus to their upcoming clash against Orlando City next weekend.
