Lionel Messi knocked to ground by fan during Puerto Rico pitch invasion

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/messi-lionel/vgOOdZbd/"]Messi[/a] was playing for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/inter-miami/0AheRyBg/"]Inter Miami[/a] in a friendly against Ecuador's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/independiente-del-valle/YFwXD2sh/"]Independiente del Valle[/a] when supporters raced onto the field in the game's 88th minute.[/p][p]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.[/p][p]Messi did not appear to be injured in the incident, landing on the fan, before picking himself up and walking away in apparent frustration.[/p][p]It capped a farcical night for a friendly that started an hour late due to a disagreement over which colours each team should wear.[/p][p]The argument was seemingly never resolved, as both teams ended up playing in black.[/p][embed guid="e097b3e2-ea97-4bed-aad5-992d8a6e0134" url="https://x.com/herculezg/status/2027227058275782675" social-type="twitter" /][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/ind-del-valle-YFwXD2sh/inter-miami-0AheRyBg/?mid=4IVYjnKP"]A penalty kick by Messi gave Miami a 2-1 victory[/a].[/p][p]Messi, who came on as a substitute at the start of the second half, scored the winning goal in the 70th minute.[/p][p]Inter Miami had opened the scoring in the 16th minute with a goal from fellow Argentine [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/morales-santiago/vXbUoAvA/"]Santi Morales[/a].[/p][p]Ecuadorian international [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mercado-patrik/pOnWoKXq/"]Patrik Mercado[/a] levelled the score in the 17th minute.[/p][p]The friendly was originally scheduled for February 13th but was postponed due to a Messi injury.[/p][p]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.[/p][p]An eight-time Ballon d'Or winner widely considered one of the greatest football players of all time, Messi is expected to represent [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/argentina/f9OppQjp/"]Argentina[/a] at a record sixth World Cup this summer.[/p][p]He has not yet officially confirmed he will participate in the tournament, taking place across the United States, Mexico and Canada.[/p]