Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez, key players for Inter Miami CF, have been fined an undisclosed amount by Major League Soccer (MLS) for breaching the league’s “hands to the face/head/neck of an opponent” rule during their season opener against New York City FC on Saturday, according to an announcement from MLS on Tuesday.
The incident involving Messi occurred after the final whistle, when he made contact with NYCFC assistant coach Mehdi Ballouchy by placing his hand on the back of Ballouchy’s neck.
Though Ballouchy visibly tensed, he did not respond aggressively before Messi left the field and proceeded to the locker room.
Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano downplayed the situation, attributing it to the heat of the moment on the pitch.
“I don’t have much to say. It’s challenging when you’re on the field,” Mascherano said on Monday.
“Sometimes emotions run high, especially when decisions from the referee don’t seem fair. But to truly understand the players’ reactions, you need to be in the game—watching from a distance doesn’t capture it all.
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“Emotional control isn’t always easy. The media often tries to turn these situations into a spectacle, but such disputes with referees or opponents are part of every match. As we say in Argentina, what happens on the field should stay on the field.
We move on and focus on the next match.”
Suárez was also fined for a similar offense, as he made contact with NYCFC’s Birk Risa by touching the back of Risa’s neck during a heated exchange right after the halftime whistle.
The argument escalated until NYCFC’s Strahinja Tanasijević intervened, separating Suárez and Risa.
Despite the fines, both Messi and Suárez remain eligible to play as Inter Miami prepares to face Houston Dynamo FC in their second match of the 2025 MLS season.
Before heading to Texas, the Herons will host Sporting Kansas City on Tuesday night in the second leg of their Concacaf Champions Cup first-round tie.
Inter Miami leads the series 1-0 after a win at Children’s Mercy Park, where Messi scored in challenging cold conditions last week.
