Messi was seen pointing towards the fight in the stands and having a word with the match officials before deciding to walk off the pitch with the rest of his teammates.
During the kickoff between Brazil and Argentina in the FIFA World Cup qualifier match, clashes erupted between rival supporters of both the sides in the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro. Brazil vs Argentina was the most anticipated clash between South American powerhouses but was delayed due to the disturbances in the crowds. (Streaming | More Football News)
The match was due to kick off at 6 AM (IST) but could not. Players of both the sides lined up for their respective national anthems but when the cameras panned at the crowds, there were visuals of fans exchanging blows. Seeing this, footballers including Lionel Messi were visibly shook.
As the fights continued, local police were called in to control the crowd. However, Messi-led Argentina were not happy with this.
Messi was seen pointing towards the fights and then having a word with the match officials before deciding amongst his players to walk off the pitch.
"We're not playing, we're leaving," Messi appeared to say as he left the pitch with his team-mates.
However, the scenes were sorted out later and the Argentina players emerged onto thefield shortly as the match kicked off.