Messi to Miami: Soccer star, and a few teammates, show up for Heat

MIAMI (AP) — Lionel Messi took a night off to watch the Miami Heat.

The Inter Miami star and eight-time Ballon d’Or winner as the world’s best player — along with teammates Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets and Luis Suarez — arrived just before tip-off of the Heat playoff game with the Boston Celtics on Monday night.

Messi’s group — some clad in Heat attire and Busquets wearing a Heat hoodie — arrived in the players’ parking garage, then were brought in through a VIP entrance before making their way to their seats in a suite atop the lower level. Messi has been to the arena before for at least one other event, but never before had arranged to be at a Heat game since moving to Miami last year.

Inter Miami is 6-2-3 so far this season in Major League Soccer play, sitting in first place in the Eastern Conference and with the most points of any team in the league.