Soccer superstar Lionel Messi got more than he bargained for during a friendly match in Puerto Rico on February 26, when a fan who rushed the field bear-hugged him so aggressively that security’s attempt to intervene sent both the fan and Messi crashing to the turf.
The chaos erupted in the 88th minute of Inter Miami’s friendly against Independiente del Valle.
The match was already decided with Inter Miami locking up a 2-1 win. Messi scored the game-winner in the 70th minute off a penalty shot after entering at halftime alongside other regular starters.
But 20 minutes after Messi’s goal, three fans bolted from the stands onto the pitch.
One ripped his shirt off, immediately fell down, got back up, and sprinted past Messi with security guards chasing him. The other two made a beeline straight for the soccer icon with friendlier intentions.
One fan actually got Messi to sign his shirt. Another snapped a quick selfie. For a fleeting moment, it was oddly sweet — Messi being his usual accommodating (and calm) self even as the situation spiraled around him.
Then the shirtless fan circled back. He came up behind Messi and wrapped his arms around him in what was apparently meant to be a hug. Security guards caught up and tackled the intruder, but because the fan was latched onto Messi, both of them went down.
Luckily, Messi got up quickly and didn’t appear injured, but he was visibly annoyed (and understandably so).
That Wasn’t the Only Chaos That Ensued
Before the fan incident even happened, the evening had already gone sideways when both Inter Miami and Independiente del Valle showed up wearing black uniforms, per USA Today. Both of them. Same color.
What did they do? The game was delayed one hour because of the mix-up — and then they apparently decided to just go ahead and play anyway.
Furthermore, this match wasn’t even supposed to happen on February 26. It was originally scheduled for Feb. 13 but got postponed after Messi suffered a hamstring strain during a February 7 preseason contest against Barcelona SC.
Messi recorded a video message for fans in Puerto Rico about the delay.
“Hi everyone, I wanted to send this message to the people of Puerto Rico and all the people that will be going to the training session and game,” Messi said, per ESPN. “To be honest, during the last game in Ecuador I concluded with a muscle strain, which is why I left the field early. So, together with the people of the organization and Inter Miami it was decided to suspend this game.”
“We hope it can be reprogrammed, and we can see each other. Visit you soon. Sending a hug to you all and thank you for all the love that you always give. I hope we can do it in the future, all the best,” he added.
He sent Puerto Rico a virtual hug. And then when the rescheduled game finally happened, one fan decided the virtual version wasn’t going to cut it — delivering the real thing uninvited and at full sprint.
Despite the chaotic evening, Messi walked away unscathed and Inter Miami got the W. The club will begin defense of its MLS title on Saturday when it kicks off the 2026 season against Orlando City at Inter & Co Stadium.
