Argentina great Lionel Messi was at the receiving end of an unsavoury incident during Inter Miami's friendly match against Ecuador's Independiente del Valle. The incident occurred in the 88th minute of the encounter when some supporters entered the field. The cameras captured the 2022 FIFA World Cup-winning superstar being knocked to the ground after fans invaded the pitch. A fan was seen asking for a selfie with the 38-year-old while another asked for his shirt to be signed.
A fan who got onto the field grabs Inter Miami's Lionel Messi. (AP)
{{^htLoading}} {{/htLoading}}
A third supporter was spotted trying to hug Messi from behind. A security guard then tackled the fan, and the scenes ended up dragging the striker to the floor as well.
There was no sign of any injury to Messi. The star, who recently visited India, was seen landing on the fan before he picked himself up and walked away, looking frustrated.
The friendly between the two teams started an hour late due to a disagreement over which colours each team should wear. The argument went on and on, and in the end, there was no solution, as both teams took the field in black.
{{^htLoading}} {{/htLoading}}
{{^usCountry}}
According to news agency AFP, nearly 20,000 spectators in Bayamon, Puerto Rico, gave Messi a standing ovation when he finally made his presence felt in the game.
{{/usCountry}}
{{#usCountry}}
According to news agency AFP, nearly 20,000 spectators in Bayamon, Puerto Rico, gave Messi a standing ovation when he finally made his presence felt in the game.
{{/usCountry}}
Messi is widely regarded as one of the greatest football players of all time. He is expected to play the upcoming FIFA World Cup for Argentina, marking his sixth appearance at the mega event.
However, he is yet to officially confirm his participation in the tournament, which will take place across the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Inter Miami win
Inter Miami won the match 2-1 after Messi scored a penalty kick. The former Barcelona star came in as a substitute at the start of the second half, and he scored the match-winning goal in the 70th minute.
{{^htLoading}} {{/htLoading}}
The scoring was opened in the 16th minute after Argentina's Santi Morales scored for Inter Miami. Ecuadorian international Patrik Mercado then levelled the score in the 17th minute.
The friendly was initially scheduled to take place on February 13 but was postponed due to a Messi injury.
Vishesh Roy is a sports journalist with a strong focus on cricket. He began his career at Asian News International (ANI), where he covered a range of high-profile events, including the India Open, Legends Cricket League, the England–India Test series in Ahmedabad in 2021, and the inauguration of the Narendra Modi Stadium. During his tenure at ANI, he also reported extensively on domestic cricket, covering several Ranji Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy matches across the country. While cricket remains his primary beat, Vishesh has also reported on tennis, football and WWE. After a stint of over three years at ANI, Vishesh moved to NDTV, where he gained hands-on experience in digital-first journalism, with a particular emphasis on live blogs and real-time news reporting. He joined Hindustan Times in October 2024 and quickly established himself with a series of exclusive interviews and source-driven stories. Ahead of the IPL 2025 auction, Hindustan Times was the first to report that the two-day event would be held in Saudi Arabia. In the early months of his tenure, Vishesh secured interviews with leading cricketers, including Pat Cummins, Shreyas Iyer, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Rashid Latif. He has also closely tracked the rise of emerging talents such as Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Priyansh Arya by speaking to their current and childhood coaches. His background in on-field reporting has helped Hindustan Times Digital break exclusive stories on major developments, including Virat Kohli’s return to the Ranji and Vijay Hazare Trophy, IPL scheduling, and the T20 World Cup controversy involving Bangladesh and Pakistan.
Stay updated with the latest sports news, including latest headlines and updates from the Durand Cup Final Live. Catch all the action from tennis Grand Slam tournaments, follow your favourite football teams and players with the latest match results, and get the latest on international hockey tournaments and series.
Stay updated with the latest sports news, including latest headlines and updates from the Durand Cup Final Live. Catch all the action from tennis Grand Slam tournaments, follow your favourite football teams and players with the latest match results, and get the latest on international hockey tournaments and series.
Home/Sports/Football/Lionel Messi knocked to the ground after fans cause ruckus during pitch invasion in Puerto Rico - Watch
{{^htLoading}}
Advertisement
{{/htLoading}}
SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
{{#usCountry}}{{/usCountry}}
Hindustantimes wants to start sending you push notifications. Click allow to subscribe
