Major League Soccer has cleared Lionel Messi of any wrongdoing after the Argentinian appeared to pursue match officials following Inter Miami's season-opening defeat to LAFC on Saturday evening. The incident occurred after a 3-0 loss at the LA Coliseum, with video footage showing Messi confronting officials as they entered a doorway. Miami forward Luis Suárez was seen restraining Messi, who briefly slipped away before returning with Suárez to the locker room.
An MLS spokesperson confirmed to the Guardian that the area Messi entered was not a restricted zone, nor was it the referee's locker room. The league reviewed the sequence and found no violation of policy. Chris Rivett, director of communications at the Professional Referee Organization, added that match officials confirmed Messi did not enter their locker room.
The incident drew comparisons to a 2023 case involving FC Cincinnati's Matt Miazga, who received a three-match suspension for entering the referee's changing room after a playoff win. In that instance, the Professional Soccer Referees Association alleged Miazga was 'forcibly removed' after angrily confronting officials, though Cincinnati disputed this description.
Messi has previously criticised MLS officiating. After a 3-0 loss to Orlando City SC in 2025, he used a rare post-game interview to highlight a missed backpass call that led to a goal. He also received yellow cards for dissent in consecutive games earlier this season, including a post-match confrontation with referee Joe Dickerson. Despite these incidents, Messi has never faced disciplinary action for conduct towards referees in MLS, though he was fined last year for placing his hands on an assistant coach and served a one-game suspension for missing the All-Star Game.
