3 min readNew DelhiJul 2, 2026 06:11 PM IST
First published on: Jul 2, 2026 at 06:11 PM IST
Lionel Messi gave fans another memorable moment ahead of Argentina’s FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 match against Cape Verde—but this time, it had nothing to do with football.
A short video showing the Argentine skipper going through a routine airport security screening after the team landed in Miami has taken social media by storm. Rather than appearing uncomfortable, Messi smiled throughout the process and even burst into laughter, leaving fans amused by his relaxed reaction.
Messi laughs during routine airport screening
As Argentina’s squad arrived in Miami, security personnel carried out standard checks on every member of the travelling party. Messi was scanned with a handheld metal detector before an officer conducted a brief pat-down, following the same procedure as for everyone else.
Instead of treating the moment seriously, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner broke into a grin and laughed, creating a wholesome interaction that was quickly picked up online.
A user on X shared the clip with the caption: “Messi reaction to being searched at the airport.”
Watch the video:
Fans praise Messi’s down-to-earth reaction
The video quickly gained traction, with many users pointing out that even one of football’s biggest stars has to go through the same airport security checks as everyone else.
One user wrote, “Watching Argentina board their flight outside the office is a good reminder: Next time you get annoyed by TSA, just remember, even Messi gets the metal detector.”
The same user later added what they believed was the reason behind Messi’s laughter, writing: “Omg someone else pointed this out, but he’s laughing because his teammate had a BBQ grill lighter in his bag and they confiscated it.”
The claim has not been independently verified, but it only added to the discussion around the viral clip.
Social media joins in with jokes
Several others chimed in with humorous reactions. One person joked, “Bro couldn’t hide his excitement when being treated like normal people.”
Another commented, “Probably never in his life thought about this would happen.”
A third user wrote, “Even Messi still has to go through TSA like everyone else is the most grounding thing in football.”
Although the exchange lasted only a few seconds, it became one of the most widely shared off-field moments before Argentina’s Round of 32 meeting with Cape Verde, with fans enjoying the rare glimpse of Messi sharing an everyday experience with everyone else.
As Argentina's squad arrived in Miami, security personnel carried out standard checks on every member of the travelling party. 
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