This Nashville SC defender went for the Messi jersey swap ... at halftime! | OneFootball

Every time Lionel Messi takes the field these days as the widely regarded greatest living player on earth, even his opponents want something by which to remember the 38-year-old Argentine.

Negotiating to be the player from the opposing team who does the traditional postgame jersey exchange can be a complicated process, as this intriguing piece from ESPN.com details.

So on Saturday night, Nashville SC defender Jeisson Palacios made sure he would beat his teammates to the punch, setting up a diplomatic exchange of shirts as the two players walked off the field -- for halftime intermission. Miami-based journalist Franco Panizo caught the exchange on camera and posted it on X (formerly Twitter) below.

From postgame images, it appeared that Messi swapped his second-half jersey with Nashville SC captain and U.S. men's national team defender Walker Zimmerman.

Shir(t)ing responsibility?

Jersey swaps have become an accepted part of the game, but exchanges at the halftime interval are still fringe territory that might leave some fans feeling like their club's player isn't fully focused on the task at hand.

And while Palacios wasn't the main culprit in Nashville's 2-1 loss in South Florida, there were some suggestions that the Coyotes lacked the level of focus typically required to beat the Messi-led Herons.

Messi ended up scoring both Miami goals, with the second opportunity created by a dreadful pass from goalkeeper Joe Willis, intended for Palacios but intercepted easily by the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner.

That said, this isn't even the first time this season a Messi opponent has arranged a halftime switch.

During the FIFA Club World Cup match between Miami and Palmeiras, Brazilian teenage phenom Estevão sought Messi's jersey at the halftime whistle, then went after Luis Suárez's Miami shirt at full time.

But in Estevão's case, his side earned a 2-2 draw on the night and ultimately had the better tournament, reaching the quarterfinals before losing to the Chelsea side the Brazilian star will be moving to this season.