Did Lionel Messi breach $7m contract by missing a Florida friendly?
(Courtesy : Getty)
Messi has been involved in several controversies throughout his career.
Lionel Messi is accused of violating his $7 million contract by skipping a soccer friendly in Miami. A Miami-based event promoter is suing Lionel Messi, claiming that the soccer legend broke a $7 million contract by skipping an exhibition game the previous year.
According to court documents, Vid Music Group filed the fraud and violation of agreement action against Messi and the Argentine Football Association in Miami-Dade Circuit Court last month.
Messages requesting comment were not immediately answered by Messi or the AFA.
Lionel Messi accused of violating contract
Lionel Messi, who plays for both Argentina’s national team and his Major League Soccer club Inter Miami, is regarded as one of the best soccer players of all time. Fans frequently pay significantly more to watch him play.
The lawsuit claims that in exchange for ticket, broadcast, and sponsorship money, Vid entered an agreement with the AFA last summer for the sole right to plan and publicise Argentina’s friendlies against Puerto Rico and Venezuela in October. According to Vid, unless he was hurt, Messi was expected to play for at least 30 minutes in every game.
Which game did Lionel Messi miss?
According to the lawsuit, Messi, 38, watched Argentina’s 1-0 victory over Venezuela on October 10 from a luxury suite at Hard Rock Stadium in South Florida.
Lionel Messi scored two goals in Inter Miami‘s 4-0 MLS victory over Atlanta the following day. Inter Miami valued that game since it gave them home-field advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
However, then, on Oct. 14, Messi played in Argentina’s 6-0 win over Puerto Rico. The game was originally scheduled to take place in Chicago, but organisers decided to shift it to Florida due to poor ticket sales in the city where Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers were making over 1,000 arrests.
They claim they lost millions as a result of Messi’s absence from one game and poor ticket sales at another, but they haven’t stated what damages they are requesting in the complaint.
Why is Lionel Messi being sued?
He was expected to play in two friendly games for Argentina for 30 mins but didn’t play
How much money is Messi accused of violating?
$7 million contract.
Against which nations did he have to play?
Venezuela and Puerto Rico.
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After earning a bachelor's degree in mass media, Rajarshi began his career as a sports writer in 2019, driven by his passion for sports journalism. He has been working in the field for over six years. A devoted fan of Lionel Messi and Barcelona, Rajarshi has been involved in sports since childhood. Before turning his focus to journalism, he even represented his college at the state level. Along with covering football, he enjoys playing the game, watching movies, and experimenting with new recipes in his spare time, as cooking is one of his favorite hobbies.