“He’s becoming a thug” “Bro turning on dark mode” – Fans left stunned as Lionel Messi engages in heated moment inside tunnel

Lionel Messi scored twice for Inter Miami in their 3-1 victory over Orlando City on Tuesday, August 1. However, his tunnel altercation with an opponent grabbed the headlines.

The 36-year-old, who is usually known for his quiet demeanour, was seen angrily clashing with Orlando City midfielder Cesar Araujo. Fans loved Messi's reaction and immediately took to social media platform X (previously known as Twitter) to express their opinions on the matter.

Here are some of the best posts:

MESSI IS ABSOLUTELY ON SMOKE TIME 😭 pic.twitter.com/ZwPjsvVNWQ

@FcbxSam araujo wanted smoke, messi brought fire

@FcbxSam He's becoming a thug

@FcbxSam The goat is pissed

@FcbxSam Bro turning on Dark mode

@FcbxSam I think young blood might've said something to Messi, Bro has never been this mad in a game ever.

Messi and Araujo scored for their respective teams in the first half to keep the game locked at 1-1. The pair were also involved in a challenge on field when Messi clashed into the 22-year-old Uruguayan midfielder.

Messi scored again in the second half. His teammate Josef Martinez also converted a spot kick to give Inter Miami a 3-1 win on the night. The 36-year-old World Cup winner has already netted five goals in three games in the United States and is making football look easy on the other side of the Atlantic.

Lionel Messi opted to join MLS over offers from other clubs - Reports

The Argentine attacker ran down his contract at Paris Saint-Germain this summer after joining the Ligue 1 club in 2021. In his two years, he won the league title but failed to conquer Europe.

With news of Messi leaving doing the rounds, several clubs were reportedly interested in his signature. His former team Barcelona were strongly linked with re-signing the player along with offers from Saudi Pro League.

However, as it turned out, Messi followed in the footstep of David Beckham by switching to the US from Europe. Much like the former English winger, Messi also reportedly has a stake in the club now along with salary and other deals.

Messi ended last year on a high after winning the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar in December. He won the Golden Ball for scoring seven goals and providing three assists in seven games at the prestigious tournament.