Messi fined in Inter Miami vs. Sporting Kansas City match: Watch the viral video that led to his fine

Lionel Messi has been fined an undisclosed amount by Major League Soccer (MLS) after grabbing the neck of a New York City FC assistant coach at the end of Saturday’s match.

The Argentine World Cup winner was caught on camera in a tense exchange with NYCFC assistant coach Mehdi Ballouchy after the final whistle. During the argument, Messi placed his hands on the back of Ballouchy’s neck twice, sparking controversy.



In a statement, MLS confirmed that its disciplinary committee had ruled Messi had breached the league’s "Hands to the face/head/neck of an opponent" policy.

The incident happened after Messi assisted a stoppage-time equaliser for team-mate Telasco Segovia in the 2-2 draw at Inter Miami’s Chase Stadium during the season opener.

Messi’s team-mate, Uruguayan striker Luis Suárez, was also fined for a similar incident. Suárez was seen putting his hands on the back of NYCFC defender Birk Risa’s neck during a heated moment at half-time.