Video: Messi arrives in Saudi Arabia with guns in his face

Published on: 13 November 2012

Barcelona star Lionel Messi was shocked on Monday when he arrived in Saudi Arabia with security officials needing powerful guns to protect him from his thousands of fans in the Arabian country.

As a new father and someone who very much enjoys life, Lionel Messi probably didn't appreciate the part of his arrival at a Saudi airport on Monday that involved gun barrels in his face.

(But that's just a guess. I wouldn't want to speak for him.)

Argentina traveled to Saudi Arabia for Wednesday's friendly and the team's televised reception at the airport at first appeared to be a rather typical welcoming of a team that includes Leo Messi.

But while his teammates made their way through the crowded terminal with relatively little trouble, Messi himself instantly had an armed entourage.

Near the end of the clip below (around 3:05), Messi's armed guards come up against a crush of people trying to get near him, which pushed one guard's assault rifle right up against Messi's shoulder.

It's moments like this when Leo just has to detach from reality and go to Lego Land in his mind.

Watch video of Messi's arrival in Saudi Arabia

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