Soccer legend Lionel Messi attends Game 4 in Miami

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 best player in the world – along with teammates Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets and Luis Suarez – arrived on Monday evening just before the start of the Heat's playoff game with the Boston Celtics.

The group – some wearing Heat gear – arrived at the players' parking garage, then were ushered in through a VIP entrance before making their way to their seats. Messi has been to the arena for at least one other event before, but had never previously agreed to attend a Heat game since moving to Miami last year.

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

Messi scored two goals and an assist in Inter Miami's 4-1 win at New England on Saturday and has scored multiple goals in five straight games – the first MLS player ever to do so. He has nine goals and seven assists in seven games for Inter Miami this season.

Messi, who led Argentina to the 2022 World Cup title, has scored more than 800 goals for club and country in his career, making him one of the greatest goalscorers in football history. He scored two goals in the 2022 World Cup final against France, a game that ended 3-3 and Argentina won 4-2 on penalties.