Lionel Messi was perplexed by a meeting with a pitch invader on Saturday night, when a young girl approached the Inter Miami star for a selfie before security jumped in.
With the Herons and Colorado Rapids in second-half stoppage time of their eventual 2-2 draw, the child found her way to Messi on the pitch, wrapped her arm around him and pulled him her smartphone for a photo.
Hordes of security, including Messi’s personal bodyguard, former US Navy Seal Yassine Chueko, soon took the girl away.
Chueko is famed for shadowing Messi on the pitch, jogging up and down the pitch alongside the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner.
Messi, who had not played since March 13 due to a hamstring injury, came on as a substitute in the second half and scored in the draw.
He coolly connected with a cross from David Ruiz with his preferred left foot in the 60th minute to give Miami a 2-1 lead.
Cole Bassett scored in the 88th minute, securing a point for the Rapids.
Messi missed three league games and the team’s CONCACAF Champions Cup quarterfinal first leg loss to Monterrey on Wednesday due to an injury.
Messi’s longstanding Barcelona teammates and friends, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, started the game on the bench until coming on in the second half, while Luis Suarez was an unused substitute.
Miami is currently winless in its last four games across all competitions.
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