VIDEO; Lionel Messi Defends 19-Year-Old Teammate Targeted by Philadelphia Union Player
Argentina and Inter Miami captain, Lionel Messi, was furious with Philadelphia Union player Jose Andres Martinez after he kicked 19-year-old Inter Miami teammate Noah Allen to the ground.
The incident occurred in the 80th minute of Inter's 4-1 win over Union in the Leagues Cup semifinals. With the score already 4-1, Martinez fouled Allen and then kicked him to the ground. Messi immediately ran over to Martinez and confronted him, giving him a death stare and exchanging some choice words.
Watch video below.....
Lionel Messi has some choice words for José Andres Martínez after he stood over Noah Allen and tried to kick the ball 😤pic.twitter.com/mw2NTH0qQf
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) August 16, 2023
It has been reported that Messi said to Martinez, "How are you going to kick him to the ground like that?". The referee soon intervened and prevented the situation from escalating further.
This is not the first time that Messi has shown his fiery side since joining Inter Miami. Earlier this month, he had a heated spat with Orlando City's Cesar Araujo in the tunnel after a game. Messi has also been involved in altercations with Felipe Martins and Gonzalo Montiel.
Messi's leadership and passion have been on full display since joining Inter Miami, and he has transformed the team into a playoff contender. He will now lead Inter into the Leagues Cup final on Sunday against Nashville.