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Footage has emerged of Lionel Messi in Naples, Florida, and his reaction when a fan accosted him with a Cristiano Ronaldo Al-Nassr jersey. The Inter Miami star looked pissed off as he glared at the young fan, who looked like he had mischief on his mind.
Messi was in the city of Naples in Florida to watch his oldest son Thiago play in a tournament with his Inter Miami academy team. As he made his way to the pitch alongside his wife, Antonela Roccuzzo, son Mateo and bodyguard, fans thronged in for pictures of the great.
One fan got in the way of Messi, temporarily blocking his movement, but it was what the fan had in his hands that raised eyebrows. He had a Cristiano Ronaldo shirt and was flaunting it when he got close to Messi, drawing a perplexed look from the 36-year-old.
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Football fans observed the interaction from the video and took to X (formerly Twitter) to share their thoughts on the interaction. Several believe that Messi felt like hitting the kid who brought the jersey to him.
Another group of fans believed that the forward appreciated the jersey of the GOAT, Cristiano Ronaldo, and that he was not the GOAT.
A fan revealed that Messi looked confused at the awkward turn of events.
Some fans were of the opinion that the Argentine forward's reaction to the fan showed his insecurity.
Lionel Messi is presently on holiday following the conclusion of his debut season with Inter Miami, as his side failed to make it into the MLS Playoffs. The forward will travel with the Herons to China next month to play two friendlies.
Lionel Messi set to extend Ballon d'Or lead over Cristiano Ronaldo
The winner of the 2023 Ballon d'Or award will be announced on October 30, with Lionel Messi being one of the favorites to win it. He faces stern competition from Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe, but Cristiano Ronaldo was left out of the nominees.
According to Fabrizio Romano, the Argentine great will win his eighth Ballon d'Or award this year. Only Cristiano Ronaldo has won the award five times compared to Messi's seven.
This year, Messi's performance in the FIFA World Cup was defining and played a key role in his being a favorite for the Ballon d'Or. Winning the award for an eighth time will undoubtedly cement his status as the GOAT.
