MLS: Raccoon Nicknamed Raquinho Invades the Pitch in the Middle of a Soccer Game

A raccoon interrupted the game between Philadelphia Union and New York City FC on Wednesday, and fans have quickly nicknamed it Raquinho for its antics. It is safe to say that the raccoon had become more talked about in the MLS than its brightest star, Lionel Messi, for a moment.

The furry interloper managed to stop play for almost two minutes during the game as MLS officials tried to catch "Raquinho" with trash cans and failed spectacularly as the crowd cheered the raccoon on as it tried to escape the humans at Subaru Park in Chester, Pennsylvania.

"We need to find him a ball because he's moving very well in the center of midfield," said the game's commentator, Callum Williams. "I don't think I've ever seen anything quite as bizarre as this, particularly given the amount of time he's remained on the field."

One of the officials tried to chase the scavenger while another was wielding a trash can so he would not get bitten whenever it was captured. All the while, the crowd went crazy and cheered for the furry interloper, who was just too fast for the slow and clumsy officials to catch.

Raquinho managed to run almost the full length of the field when a third human, who was also wielding a trash can, joined in on the chase. However, the commentators and the crowd were clearly on the raccoon's side.

"This is marvelous entertainment. Go on, raccoon! You can get away," said one of the commentators. Raquinho was eventually captured and placed inside a "plastic prison." The commentators were audibly asking the officials not to hurt the captured creature.

Philadelphia Raccoon, Raquinho, Sets an MLS Record

After the incident, the video of the MLS raccoon known as Raquinho went viral, with soccer fans all over the world celebrating the furry new internet darling. Reports indicated that the raccoon was removed from the field as the match between New York and Philadelphia resumed.

The hilarious and viral chase lasted 162 seconds, but MLS Communications revealed that it set the still-unofficial record of "the longest time a raccoon has spent on an MLS field." Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Union assured fans on X that "Raquinho was safely handled by a pest control company and released back into the wild."

Raquinho Gets Its Own MLS Trading Card from Topps

In an unprecedented move, the Topps trading card company announced that it is making a new Raquinho trading card after the raccoon invaded an MLS pitch in Philly.

This will be an official sports trading card, according to the Los Angeles Times, and Topps is now selling it for $8.99. This means that Raquinho will forever be immortalized even though it only appeared in a 162-second chase with MLS and stadium officials.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

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