Lionel Messi has been fined for putting his hands on an opponent, Major League Soccer announced on Friday, Aug. 21.
The league said that the Argentinian superstar was fined an undisclosed amount for slapping Philadelphia Union player Quinn Sullivan on the back of the neck during Inter Miami‘s 2-2 draw with the club on Wednesday, Aug. 19.
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MLS has a rule that a player cannot put his “hands to the face/head/neck of an opponent.”
Messi’s teammate, Ian Fray, was also fined for the same violation in what was a chippy final few minutes of Wednesday’s match.
In a separate news release on Friday, MLS said that the league rescinded Cavan Sullivan’s red card. The 16-year-old rising Union star, who is Quinn’s younger brother, was booked during the fight when he came in defense of his older brother.
Messi scored in the draw for his first goal since the death of his father, Jorge. The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner missed Inter Miami’s match the day his father passed, Aug. 8.
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Messi returned to the club for their Aug. 12 Leagues Cup match against León and came off the bench in the second half.
His first two goals after the World Cup came in Inter Miami’s 4-2 Leagues Cup win against Atlético de San Luis on Aug. 5.
In the World Cup, Argentina failed to defend its 2022 title and finished second to Spain. Messi scored eight goals and became the tournament’s all-time leading scorer, but was passed by Kylian Mbappé, who scored 10 goals for the overall record and the Golden Boot award.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Lionel Messi fined by MLS for slapping back of opponent’s neck
