Bengals stars Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase root for FC Cincinnati against Lionel Messi and Inter Miami at the US Open Cup semifinal

The Bengals were in the house to watch the GOAT Wednesday night as NFL stars Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase attended Inter Miami’s US Open Cup semifinal against FC Cincinnati. 

Lionel Messi and co. were back in action Wednesday night as they faced the MLS leaders, just four days after lifting the club’s first-ever trophy in the Leagues Cup final. 

However, star quarterback Burrow and teammates Chase, Sam Hubbard, Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd weren’t there to cheer on the World Cup winner. Instead, they were rooting against him. 

The Cincinnati players were rooting for their city’s soccer team, donning FC Cincinnati shirts as they watched on from the sidelines. 

There is more on the line than a spot in the final for Cincinnati with the team currently the MLS Supporter’s Shield leader (top point-scoring team), in top position for the MLS Cup playoffs, and two wins from a US Open Cup. 

Burrow and his Bengals teammates rooted for FC Cincinnati against Inter Miami 

The treble has never been achieved and Burrow and co. were there to hopefully witness their neighboring sporting stars edge closer to history ahead of their own season starting. 

The Cincinnati Bengals open their NFL season against the Cleveland Browns on September 10. 

Burrow gave the organization a fright last month on July 27 when he was carted off during practice and ruled out for ‘several weeks.’

Burrow could miss the start of the regular season but just how many games remains the question.

Chase, who attended the soccer semifinal with his signal caller Wednesday, recently said that he’s OK if Burrow remained sidelined through Week 5, if only to ensure he’s fully healthy.

‘I want Joe to be his healthiest when it’s time to play, when it’s time to matter,’ Chase clarified Tuesday. ‘I don’t want him out there false-stepping and not 100 percent. … I never really told him stay out until Week 5. It was just me saying take as much time as you need.’

The Bengals aren’t the only athletes who have turned up to soccer games to get a glimpse of Messi since his move to Inter Miami. 

Sam Hubbard, Tee Higgins, Ja’Marr Chase and Tyler Boyd joined the signal caller 

Lionel Messi and co. faced the MLS leaders just four days after lifting the club’s first trophy

Tennis legend Serena Williams and NBA superstar LeBron James have attended Leagues Cups games at DRV PNK Stadium. 

Meanwhile, Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo rivaled the soccer superstar ahead of the Leagues Cup final. 

The 6-foot-11 Antetokounmpo, who is a minority owner in Inter Miami’s opponent in the final, Nashville,  was hard to miss on the field before the championship game, doing television interviews and netting a free kick from about 30 yards away.

To celebrate his impromptu goal, Antetokounmpo did the pirouetting ‘SIU’ celebration, popularized by Ronaldo. Cameras did not appear to catch Messi’s reaction, but Antetoukounmpo’s brother and teammate, Thanasis, responded with laughter.