Lionel Messi cleared of violaing MLS policy after chasing match officials down the tunnel following 3-0 defeat to LAFC in season opener
Published 23/02/2026 at 08:39 GMT
Lionel Messi has been cleared of violating MLS policy after he appeared to follow match officials down the tunnel following a humbling 3-0 loss to LAFC in the season opening match. In a video shared on X by Giovanni Guerrero, Messi can be seen following the officials team but he was deemed by Major League Soccer not to have followed them into their changing rooms and not to have broken any rules.
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Video credit: SNTV
Lionel Messi has been cleared of violating Major League Soccer policy after he appeared to follow match officials down the tunnel in Inter Miami’s 3-0 loss to LAFC.
In their season opener, the David Beckham-owned side slipped to a convincing defeat at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, prompting Messi to react angrily at officials.
Inter conceded two late goals through Denis Bouanga and Nathan Ordaz, the latter assisted by Son Heung-min, as the start to their season ended with frustration from their star player.
In a viral video shared on X by Giovanni Guerrero, Messi appears to confront the match officials, with Inter Miami team-mate Luis Suarez attempting to diffuse the situation.
Messi then temporarily disappears from shot, before returning moments later and going back to the Miami changing room with Suarez.
Players are forbidden from entering the officials’ changing room with suspension likely to follow for those caught doing so.
However, on this occasion no rules were broken, according to the league.
"The area [Messi entered] wasn’t a restricted area, which would have been marked off with signage," an MLS spokesperson told the Guardian.
"It was not the referee’s locker room, the league reviewed the sequence and did not find Messi or another person involved in violation of any league policies."
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According to Chris Rivett, director of communications at the Professional Referee Organisation in North America, Messi did not enter the changing room of the officials but was merely in the tunnel so do not breach any regulation.
It is not the first time the former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain forward has criticised referees in MLS.
Twice last season, he was found to speak negatively about officials in consecutive matches: once after a 3-0 loss to Orlando City, in which both he and Suarez were booked, and again the match previously, which saw Inter Miami draw 3-3 with San Jose Earthquakes, where Messi was again shown a yellow card.
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Lionel Messi's Inter Miami slipped to a 3-0 loss to Heung Min Son's LAFC.
Image credit: Getty Images
He complained to Apple TV following the Orlando loss, citing a problem with match officials across the league.
"Sometimes there are errors in critical moments," Messi said.
"It happened the last game, too. No excuses, but there are always issues with referees and I think MLS has to look at some of the officiating."
Despite openly criticising referees, Messi has never been banned for any slander against the match officials in the MLS.
MLS Cup holders Inter Miami are next in action at Orlando on Sunday, March 1, where they will be desperate to return to winning ways and ensure the focus is on Messi as a player rather than his attitude towards referees.
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