MLS Fines Messi After Slap Mars Inter Miami's Draw in Philadelphia
Major League Soccer has fined Lionel Messi for slapping Philadelphia Union's Quinn Sullivan around the back of the head during Inter Miami's 2-2 draw at Subaru Park on Wednesday, 19 August.
The league confirmed the fine on Friday but did not disclose the amount, according to BBC Sport. The incident occurred near the end of the match, after Messi complained that Sullivan had elbowed him following a pass.
Messi, now 39, had given Inter Miami their second goal of the night — his first since the passing of his father. It was a moment that carried real weight for a player who has spent the past few weeks grieving, and the goal itself was vintage Messi, curled in from a free kick. But the night will be remembered as much for what happened after the whistle as for the quality on the pitch.
MLS also fined Inter Miami's Ian Fray for grabbing Sullivan by the neck after the two became tangled during the same fiery finish. The match ended with two red cards in stoppage time: Miami's Yannick Bright and Philadelphia's Cavan Sullivan — Quinn's younger brother — were both sent off.
Cavan Sullivan's one-game suspension has since been rescinded on review, meaning he will not miss the Union's next match.
The wider context around the Sullivan family adds a layer of intrigue to the flashpoint. Quinn Sullivan, 21, a Philadelphia homegrown player, has been generating buzz as a potential United States men's national team prospect. His brother Cavan, just 16, is already regarded as one of the most exciting young talents in American soccer. Both were on the pitch for the Union on a night where tempers spilled over.
For Philadelphia, there were positives to take beyond the disciplinary chaos. Forward Bruno Damiani scored his first-ever brace for the club, his two goals forcing the comeback that earned the point against a Miami side built around the most famous player in the sport.
Messi's presence in MLS has brought global attention to the league, and incidents like this one — a eight-time Ballon d'Or winner (football's top individual honour) involved in a disciplinary ruling — are part of that spotlight. The league's decision to fine him, without revealing the sum, leaves the punishment itself a matter of speculation.
What the night ultimately delivered was a match that had everything: a poignant goal, a late flashpoint, two red cards, and a pair of fines still being sorted out days later. For neutral fans, that is the chaotic appeal of a league still writing its own story.
