Concacaf has disciplined referee Marco Antonio Ortiz Nava for asking Inter Miami captain Lionel Messi for his shirt.
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What actually happened?
Without a doubt, Messi’s football shirt is arguably the most sought-after in the world.
However, it was Ortiz Nava who approached the 2022 World Cup winner on the pitch after the final whistle to request his jersey.
Messi, who scored the only goal in the first leg of the Concacaf Champions Cup first round, gladly obliged.
The Argentine superstar agreed to give him the jersey once inside the changing room.
It it was later clarified that Ortiz Nava actually requested an autograph for a family member with special needs.
Concacaf disciplines referee for asking Messi autograph
However, a Concacaf spokesperson stated that the actions violated the code of conduct for Concacaf officials.
“Concacaf is aware of the interaction that occurred between referee Marco Antonio Ortiz Nava and player Lionel Messi immediately following the final whistle of last night’s Concacaf Champions Cup match between Sporting Kansas City and Inter Miami CF,” a Concacaf spokesperson told ESPN in a statement.
“Upon investigation, Concacaf has learned that the referee approached the player to request an autograph for a family member with special needs.”
“The referee’s conduct does not align with the Confederation’s Code of Conduct for match officials and existing processes for these types of requests.
“The referee has acknowledged his mistake, apologized for the incident, and accepted the disciplinary action Concacaf has applied.”
Sporting Kansas City, Inter Miami’s opponent in Concacaf Champions Cup, added that the team informed Concacaf and MLS about the situation.
“We informed Concacaf and Major League Soccer about the incident after the match against Inter Miami CF on Wednesday. We await further review of the matter and the action Concacaf will take,” the team said.
Inter Miami will now host Sporting KC at Chase Stadium on February 25 in the second leg of the Champions Cup.
Messi will also be in action when Inter Miami hosts New York City FC in their MLS opener.
