Lionel Messi is reportedly facing a lawsuit in Florida over his decision to skip an international friendly for Argentina. A Miami-based promotion company, VID, has filed a suit against the Inter Miami star and the Argentinian Football Association (AFA), alleging fraud and breach of contract.
According to US outlet TMZ, VID claims Messi was contracted to play at least 30 minutes in two exhibition matches against Venezuela and Puerto Rico last year, as part of a $7m (£5.16m) deal. However, Messi watched the Venezuela match from the stands with his family, despite not being injured. VID says it paid for the suite he used that evening.
The next day, Messi played for Inter Miami, scoring twice in a win over Atlanta United. He did feature in the Puerto Rico friendly, scoring two goals, but the match was moved from Chicago to Fort Lauderdale, with officials citing low ticket sales. AFA claimed the move was due to immigration crackdowns in Chicago.
VID alleges that AFA agreed to arrange a friendly with China in 2026 to compensate, but this did not happen. The company seeks to recoup losses from the missed Venezuela game. A similar case involving MLS and Vancouver Whitecaps was settled for $329,000 after fans were misled over Messi's appearance.
