During a recent MLS game between New York City FC and Philadelphia Union, fans and players witnessed an unusual scene. A wild raccoon decided to invade the pitch and put on a show, probably hoping he might land a deal with one of the teams.
In a video shared by NYCFC on X (former Twitter), a raccoon can be seen running around the field while players are waiting to resume the game. And, it went longer than expected, helping him get the record for most minutes spent on the field by a raccoon.
One staffer was sent to capture the raccoon in a trash bin, but the animal displayed an impressive evasiveness. He had the entire crowd cheering on for him while the commentators were on his side.
“This is marvelous entertainment. Go on, raccoon! You can get away,” commentator Callum Williams said at one point.
The Union later shared an update about the raccoon, revealing that he was captured and then “safely released.”
As you might expect, the soccer raccoon became a huge social media star. Some fans praised the animal’s energy, saying he showed more than some players, while others hoped their team would think about signing him.
