The revamped 32-team Club World Cup, hosted in the United States, kicked off with a fiery encounter as Inter Miami were held to a goalless draw by Egyptian side Al-Ahly in the early hours of Sunday morning. The match, however, was overshadowed by a shocking moment of controversy involving none other than Lionel Messi, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner.
In the second half, during a set-piece, tensions boiled over as Messi, positioned in the penalty area awaiting a corner kick, clashed with Al-Ahly defender Yasser Ibrahim. The pair appeared to exchange words before squaring up face-to-face in a heated confrontation. In a moment that stunned onlookers, Messi seemingly deliberately knocked his head into Ibrahim’s, escalating the situation. Teammates quickly intervened, separating the two players before the incident could escalate further.
Remarkably, neither Messi nor Ibrahim faced punishment, and the VAR failed to review the incident, leaving fans and pundits in disbelief. Social media erupted with reactions, with one fan branding the Argentine superstar “shameless.” Another quipped, “That dude already has something to tell his grand-kids: ‘Messi headbutted me’.”
The incident wasn’t the only point of contention for Messi during the match. Reports suggest the 38-year-old also reached boiling point with the referee, with tensions high as Inter Miami struggled to break the deadlock. The draw leaves Group A delicately poised, with Palmeiras and Porto also playing out a 0-0 stalemate in their match.
Inter Miami now turn their attention to their next challenge, a crucial clash against Portuguese side Porto on Thursday night. With the group stage heating up, all eyes will be on Messi to see how he responds after this controversial moment in the Club World Cup spotlight.