Messi fined for slapping opponent in MLS game
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Lionel Messi has been fined by Major League Soccer for slapping Philadelphia Union's Quinn Sullivan during Inter Miami's 2-2 draw on Wednesday, with the league confirming the sanction but not disclosing its amount. The 39-year-old Argentine struck Sullivan on the back of the head late in the game after accusing the Union player of elbowing him, prompting a heated reaction from Sullivan before the referee stepped in to calm things down. The incident overshadowed a rare positive moment for Messi, who scored Miami's second goal in his first match since returning from his father's funeral in Argentina.
The clash was not isolated: Miami's Ian Fray was also fined after grabbing Sullivan by the neck during a separate tangle in the penalty box. The bad-tempered match ended with two red cards, shown to Miami's Yannick Bright and Sullivan's brother Cavan in stoppage time, though Cavan's resulting one-game ban has since been rescinded on review. Miami sit second in the Eastern Conference, seven points behind leaders Nashville, while Messi has hinted his career may be nearing its end following the death of his father and long-time agent, Jorge Messi, aged 68.
- Messi fined by MLS for slapping Philadelphia Union's Quinn Sullivan
- Team-mate Ian Fray also fined; two red cards shown in match
- Messi scored, his first goal since his father's death
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Lionel Messi is the 39-year-old Argentine forward playing for Inter Miami in Major League Soccer, the top football league in the United States and Canada. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, having spent most of his career at Barcelona before moving to the US in 2023. He remains one of MLS's biggest draws, and his form and conduct are closely watched.
Philadelphia Union are another MLS club, and Quinn Sullivan is one of their players. MLS, like most football leagues, can issue fines and bans to players for on-field misconduct, separate from any action taken by the match referee during the game itself, such as yellow or red cards.
This matters because it involves one of the sport's most famous figures in an unusual off-the-ball altercation, at a time when Messi has been dealing with the recent death of his father, who was also his long-time agent. Inter Miami are also in contention near the top of the MLS Eastern Conference standings this season, adding context to why incidents involving the team draw wider attention.
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