A fan was so hellbent on getting Lionel Messi's attention ... he rushed the pitch during a match between Maccabi Haifa and Paris Saint-Germain, running up to the soccer star at midfield, and hugging him!
The funny/scary moment happened Wednesday at Sammy Ofer Stadium in Israel ... when a man wearing a black shirt and blue jeans hopped the wall during the UEFA Champions League Match in an effort to reach the 35-year-old legend.
Video shows the fan -- who lost one of his shoes in the process -- nearly taking a nasty spill as nearby security attempted to grab the fan.