Lionel Messi was hauled to the ground by a pitch invader during Inter Miami’s 2-1 friendly victory over Independiente del Valle in Puerto Rico.
The incident occurred in the closing minutes of the match. While Messi was posing for a selfie with one fan, another spectator charged the pitch and wrestled the Argentina captain to the turf.
Security quickly intervened, resulting in a scrum that saw Messi, the fan, and a guard hit the ground.
Fortunately, Messi appeared unharmed and remained in the game, scoring a penalty to help secure the win. Santiago Morales added the second goal for Miami.
The match, originally postponed from February due to Messi’s hamstring injury, served as a tune-up following Miami’s 3-0 season-opening loss to LAFC.
The club now prepares for a rivalry clash against Orlando City this Sunday.
