Even at 36 years of age, Lionel Messi showed his fiery competitive spirit during the Leagues Cup match between Inter Miami and Orlando City.
As the teams were heading to the tunnel at half-time, Messi engaged in a heated exchange of words with an Orlando City player.
The fiery back-and-forth between the two appeared intense, but their teammates stepped in to separate them.
This incident demonstrated that Messi still possesses that fierce determination and passion for the game that has made him one of the greatest footballers of all time.
Despite his age, Messi’s competitive drive remains undiminished, and he continues to assert his presence on the field, both with his exceptional skills and his fiery attitude.
MESSI IS ABSOLUTELY ON SMOKE TIME 😭 pic.twitter.com/ZwPjsvVNWQ
— Sam 💎 (@FcbxSam) August 3, 2023
The first-half ended 1-1 courtesy of a goal in the sixth minute from Messi himself followed by one from Cesar Araujo to level the scoring.
Tensions reached a boiling point during the match when Lionel Messi and Araujo clashed while vying for possession.
Messi bulldozed over Araujo, and in response, Araujo seemed to retaliate by chasing down the World Cup winner and executing a late tackle after Messi had released the ball.
Messi clearly expressed his displeasure with the challenge and was seen gesturing to the referee, calling for a yellow card to be shown to Araujo.
He waved his hand in the referee’s face, making his frustration evident, as he believed the tackle deserved disciplinary action.
The incident further added to the intensity of the match and showcased the competitive spirit of both players.
Such moments of confrontation and passion are not uncommon in high-stakes games, and it highlighted the determination and assertiveness of both Messi and Araujo on the field.
Messi is absolutely locked in. This is insane pic.twitter.com/NTuzRmtdZ6
— MC (@CrewsMat10) August 3, 2023
Now footage has emerged of the scenes from the tunnel as the two teams were returning to their dressing rooms – and it was kind of ugly to say the least.
In the clip, Araujo and Messi can be seen exchanging words as their teammates crowd around them.
Whatever was said, it seemed pretty heated, although neither player made the confrontation physical.
When the video made its way onto social media, fans loved the energy shown by the little Argentinian.
One person tweeted: “MESSI IS ABSOLUTELY ON SMOKE TIME.”
While another added: “We are witnessing Netherlands Messi.”
Messi treating this like a World Cup final, I needed this pic.twitter.com/ILSOZwoMtP
— MC (@CrewsMat10) August 3, 2023
As a third fan said: “Messi is absolutely locked in. This is insane.”
Another chimed in, commenting: “Messi treating this like a World Cup final, I needed this.”
Messi’s earlier goal in the game, a well-taken volley, saw him become the player with the most combined goals/assist in the history of football, according to the Guinness World Records.