Lionel Messi Knocked Down As Fans Storm The Pitch During Inter Miami Friendly. Video Viral

Soccer star Lionel Messi was knocked to the ground by a fan and a security guard at the end of Inter Miami's friendly match in Puerto Rico. Inter Miami was playing Ecuador's Independiente del Valle in Bayamon on Thursday when a fan ran to the center circle and grabbed Messi by the waist before both were pulled down by a security guard. Messi appeared to be unharmed. The Argentine star immediately got up and walked to another part of the pitch.

It happened around the 88th minute of the exhibition tour match. Several fans jumped onto the pitch at the Juan Ramon Loubriel Stadium.

Watch the video here:

INCIDENT WITH MESSI

A fan invaded the field and grabbed Lionel Messi.
When a security guard tried to remove him, the fan also knocked him down.

The organization of the event was very poor, with clear errors in the security protocol that exposed players and staff. Total... pic.twitter.com/qYNCm4de49

— Saint George Insurance Brokerage Inc. (@SaintGeorgein) February 27, 2026

The match was originally scheduled for February 13 but was postponed because Messi felt discomfort in his leg during the previous exhibition match against Barcelona SC of Ecuador.

Santiago Morales and Messi scored in the 16th and 70th minutes respectively to give Inter Miami a 2-1 win.

Miami, which started its MLS season with a 3-0 loss to LAFC, faces Orlando City next Sunday.

Days ago, Messi had opened up about his regret of not learning English as a student, saying it makes him feel "half-ignorant" while interacting with prominent personalities worldwide.

Speaking on the Mexican podcast "Miro de Atras," Messi, who captains Argentina and currently plays for Inter Miami in Major League Soccer (MLS), reflected on missed opportunities.

As quoted by ESPN, the Argentina skipper said, "I regret many things. Not having learned English as a boy. I had the time to have at least studied English, and I did not do it. I deeply regret it."

"I experienced situations where I was with incredible and spectacular personalities to be able to talk and have a chat, and you feel half ignorant. I always thought: 'What an idiot, how I wasted my time,'" he added.

Messi said that when one is young, they do not realise it, but he tells his children "the importance of good education, to study and be prepared."

"I always tell my children to take advantage of it. They have a different situation from the one I had, although I never lacked anything," he added.

Messi arrived at Barcelona from his native city of Rosario at 13 years of age, forming a strong working relationship with FC Barcelona over the years to come. He recalled that the last year of his school in Argentina was a "disaster."

"It [my last year of school in Argentina] was a disaster. I knew that I was leaving for Barcelona. At Barcelona, I finished my high school with the other children who went to [FC Barcelona's youth academy] La Masia," he added.

Messi, who became an Inter Miami player in 2023 after spending two seasons with Paris Saint-Germain, spoke of things his sport has taught him, such as teaching "values and forming lifelong bonds."

"I was able to do everything and reach the top [in football], but along the way, there are many experiences and lessons learned," said the football icon.

"It's true that football is a way of life. It teaches you a lot, it gives you a lot of values. It creates lifelong bonds. You get to know places," he added.

(With agency inputs)

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Topics mentioned in this article

Football Inter Miami Lionel Messi