Lionel Messi mania descends on San Jose as Earthquakes welcome Inter Miami, perhaps the greatest player ever

SAN JOSE — Lionel Messi isn’t just a soccer player – he’s a global phenomenon.

Fans come from all over the world to see him play wherever he suits up. He is, after all, perhaps the best the game has ever seen.

Messi, a member of MLS club Inter Miami, came to San Jose on Wednesday for a match against the San Jose Earthquakes, gracing the South Bay with his presence for the first time since his appearance with Argentina in the 2016 Copa America Centenario. 

And thousands of fans came to PayPal Park right along with him.