Messi was asked for his shirt by opponents and even referees.

The controversial incident occurred at Children’s Mercy Park, after the match between Sporting Kansas City and Inter Miami in the Concacaf Champions Cup on February 20, when referee Marco Antonio Ortiz Nava was spotted asking for Lionel Messi’s autograph.

At that time, Mr. Ortiz Nava approached Messi and expressed his wish to ask for the Argentine superstar’s autograph for a relative.

After learning of the incident, the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Football said it had opened an investigation. Mr. Ortiz Nava admitted his mistake and received an undisclosed disciplinary penalty.

According to the governing body, the request for an autograph not from Messi but from any player while the tournament has not ended is a violation of the referee’s code of conduct. All referees must maintain professionalism and fairness throughout the match, and should not take actions that could create a false impression of objectivity in their work.

This is not the first time a referee has shown too much admiration for Messi. Previously, PRO (Professional Referees Organization) had to change the referee for an Inter Miami match after Brazilian referee Guilherme Ceretta de Lima posted a picture of himself wearing Messi’s shirt on social media.

After winning the Concacaf Champions Cup, Inter Miami will kick off the MLS season at Chase Stadium, hosting New York City on February 23. With Messi in the lineup, every Inter Miami match becomes the center of media attention.