Posted by Samuel on Fri 21st Feb, 2025 - tori.ng
The referee later claimed he was asking for an autograph for a relative with special needs.
Concacaf has sanctioned referee Marco Antonio Ortiz Nava after he was seen asking Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi for his shirt following their Champions Cup victory over Sporting Kansas City on Wednesday night.
Nava approached Messi after the final whistle and seemed to request for his jersey.
The referee later claimed he was asking for an autograph for a relative with special needs.
However, his actions breached the code of conduct for Concacaf officials.
A statement made available to ESPN, read in part: “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 referee has acknowledged his mistake, apologized for the incident, and accepted the disciplinary action Concacaf has applied.”
Concacaf is yet to confirm what the disciplinary action against the referee will entail.
Inter Miami won the game 1-0, thanks to a goal from Messi in the second half.