Young Lionel Messi fan cannot hide delight at meeting hero at Inter Miami final
Lionel Messi showed his paternal side as he made time for a group of young fans who could hardly contain their excitement at meeting their idol prior to the US Open Cup final.
The Argentine icon was ruled out for the showpiece against Houston Dynamo but was present to watch his team fall in an agonising 2-1 defeat at DRV PNK Stadium. While the night ended in disappointment for the Herons, a huddle of lucky young fans left the grounds with a memory that will last a lifetime.
As the youngsters waited patiently in the tunnel before the crunch final, they were treated to a brief interaction with the world-famous forward as he walked by. The excited bunch looked on in awe at Jordi Alba as he strolled in front of his teammate before they swarmed towards Messi.
As the Inter Miami captain slowly made his way through the tunnel, however, one slightly more eager devotee put his arms out towards his hero. Messi, who looked genuinely amused by the encounter with the awestruck children, then made the boy's day as he greeted him.
After this, the youngster looked suitably delighted, punching the air in jubilation, while jumping up and down on the spot. The heartwarming moment was caught on camera as part of CBS Sports' coverage of the match, with host Kate Abdo describing the scene.
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The presenter appeared to be thrilled for the boy and the other children who had experienced a rare brush with some sporting royalty. Laughing, she remarked: "Look at the kids reacting to him! Did you see that little man jumping in the air with excitement as he got to say 'What's up' to Leo?"
This is far from the first time that the World Cup winner's caring character has been on show, with the dad-of-three having made a fuss of his young fans previously. On one occasion, he posed for pictures with Giorgio Chiellini's daughters following Miami's game against LAFC.
The young fans could not contain their excitement as Lionel Messi walked on by (CBS Sports)Another time, he comforted the son of music superstar DJ Khaled, after he became awed while lining up as a mascot at DRV PNK Stadium. In another instance, he stopped by to pose for a photo with the son of Kim Kardashian and his pal, which the reality TV star later recalled as one of the "best days of their entire lives."
The legendary forward missed the defeat against Houston due to a troublesome muscular fatigue issue, which has ruled him out of recent matches. In the end, manager Gerardo "Tata" Martino decided against risking his talisman, meaning he could only watch from the stands.
He missed three out of Miami's last four MLS matches prior to the US Open Cup final, having first encountered the issue on international duty. The Herons have five games still left to play in the regular season as they chase a late dash toward the playoffs.
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