Inter Miami and Lionel Messi’s first competitive match of the 2025 season was one for the books. And, of course, autograph worthy.
The final whistle of Inter Miami CF’s Concacaf Champions Cup match against Sporting Kansas City on Wednesday night at Children's Mercy Park saw a referee ask Lionel Messi for his autograph, forcing Concacaf to put out a statement to confirm their disciplinary action against the official.
The game, which had been delayed for 24 hours due to freezing temperatures, saw Messi score a brilliant solo goal to give Inter Miami a 1-0 lead heading into the second leg.
It was Messi doing Messi things.
However, the attention quickly shifted after the final whistle. Liga MX referee Marco Antonio Ortiz Nava approached Messi, appearing to ask for the Argentine's jersey — a now more-than-common request by opponents in MLS. The situation quickly ignited a controversy among fans who believe Messi is often favored by match officials, adding fuel to ongoing speculation about his treatment on the field.
Referee asks Lionel Messi for autograph after Inter Miami-Sporting KC Champions Cup match
Concacaf later clarified that Ortiz Nava's request was not for Messi's jersey but for an autograph for a family member with special needs. Despite the well-meaning intent, the referee's actions were still considered a breach of Concacaf's code of conduct for officials.
¡Qué barbaridad!
El árbitro mexicano 'Gato' Ortiz, en lugar de hacer su chamba, andaba de fan pidiéndole la camiseta a Messi después del partido…Según trasciende, Messi se la dio en los vestidores, después de que el frío de la zona hiciera que el zurdo argentino prefiriera… pic.twitter.com/FmRb5bhaLX
— José Luis Morales (@JLMNoticias) February 21, 2025
"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," Concacaf said in a statement to ESPN. "Upon investigation, Concacaf has learned that the referee approached the player to request an autograph for a family member with special needs."
While the reasons behind the request were deemed understandable, Concacaf emphasized that the referee's conduct did not align with the expected standards.
"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 statement continued. "The referee has acknowledged his mistake, apologized for the incident, and accepted the disciplinary action Concacaf has applied."
Despite the clarification, the incident has only fueled ongoing discussions about Messi’s relationship with match officials, with some fans resurfacing the moment in which a referee confessed to have spared the Argentina international from a booking in exchange for his jersey at the end of the match.
“There was no goal-scoring chance for the Mexican team or anything like that. So, I told him: 'This is a yellow card, but it will cost you your jersey,' and I didn't show him the yellow card,” said Chilean referee Carlos Chandía.
Chandía, who was officiating the 2007 Copa America semi-final match between Argentina and Mexico, would have denied the former FC Barcelona player to play in the final.
