Lionel Messi was knocked to the ground as fans invaded the pitch during chaotic scenes at a match in Puerto Rico on Thursday. Messi was playing for Inter Miami in a friendly against Ecuador's Independiente del Valle when supporters raced onto the field in the game's 88th minute. While one fan demanded a selfie with the Argentine great and another asked for his shirt to be signed, a third rushed to embrace Messi from behind. A security guard tackled the fan, who dragged the World Cup winner to the floor. Nearly 20,000 spectators in Bayamon, on the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico, a US territory, gave the Argentine idol a standing ovation when he finally entered the game.

Source: Dhaka Tribune February 28, 2026 04:33 UTC