LIONEL MESSI appeared to headbutt an Al-Ahly star as tempers flared during the Club World Cup opener.
Inter Miami were by the Egyptian side in the early hours of yesterday morning.
The held in the US got off to a fiery start and Messi was at the centre of the controversy.
had a corner in the second-half and the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner waited in the box.
But before the ball came in, lost his cool after something was seemingly said by Al-Ahly defender Yasser Ibrahim.
The pair then walked towards each other and squared up.
Messi appeared to deliberately knock his head into Ibrahim as they stood face-to-face before they were separated by team-mates.
Both players went unpunished and VAR did not review the incident.
Fans were left shocked, with one saying: “Messi is shameless.”;
Another commented: “That dude already has something to tell his grand-kids: ‘Messi headbutted me’.”;
But others disagreed, writing: “He puts his head forward into Messi – Messi was just acting in self defence after he was headbutted first.”;
It came during an ill-tempered match that saw five bookings, including ones for both Messi’s old pals Sergio Busquets and Luis Suarez.
Group A is finely poised after Palmeiras and also played out a 0-0 draw last night.
Inter Miami face the Portuguese side next on Thursday night.
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