Lionel Messi, an eight-time Ballon d’Or winner and Inter Miami’s marquee man, appeared to headbutt Al-Ahly defender Yasser Ibrahim during a tense moment in their opening group-stage clash on Sunday morning.
The match, hosted in the United States as part of the tournament’s new 32-team format, ended in a nervy 0-0 draw, but it’s Messi’s moment of madness that dominated headlines.
In the second half, as Inter Miami prepared to take a corner, Messi stood in the box waiting for delivery. But before the ball came in, something ignited between him and Ibrahim.
Words were exchanged, and then the unthinkable happened: the two squared up, and Messi appeared to lean in and make contact with his forehead, drawing instant comparisons to infamous World Cup moments of the past.
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Team-mates from both sides rushed in to defuse the situation. Shockingly, no cards were shown for the incident, and VAR remained silent, leaving fans stunned.
Social media lit up instantly. Critics called it a “shameless” move, while others defended the Argentine icon, claiming Ibrahim initiated the head-to-head. One fan joked: “That dude already has something to tell his grandkids: ‘Messi headbutted me.’”
Meanwhile, more serious voices questioned the officiating: “How does VAR miss this?” one fan tweeted. The clash was one of several hot-tempered moments, with five yellow cards dished out, two of them to Messi’s former Barcelona teammates, Sergio Busquets and Luis Suarez.
The result leaves Group A wide open. Earlier in the night, Brazilian giants Palmeiras and Portugal’s Porto also played out a goalless draw, meaning all four teams sit level with one point apiece.
Inter Miami, who are aiming to make a deep run in the tournament with their superstar-studded lineup, will next face Porto on Thursday night. All eyes will now be on Messi, not just for his footballing magic, but also to see whether any post-match reviews bring disciplinary action.
For a player known as much for his humility as his brilliance, this flare-up was unexpected. Whether Messi’s actions were driven by provocation or frustration, one thing is certain: the Club World Cup is officially alive, and so is the drama.
