MIAMI — Soccer superstar Lionel Messi is facing a lawsuit from a Miami event promoter alleging that he breached a $7 million contract by not participating in an exhibition match last year.
VID Music Group has filed a lawsuit for fraud and breach of contract against Messi and the Argentine Football Association (AFA) in Miami-Dade Circuit Court, as indicated by court records obtained last month.
Neither Messi nor the AFA has responded to requests for comment as of yet.
Regarded as one of the greatest soccer players in history, Messi plays for both his Major League Soccer team, Inter Miami, and the Argentine national team. Fans often pay significantly higher prices for the opportunity to see him play.
The lawsuit alleges that Vid Music Group signed an agreement with the AFA last summer for exclusive rights to organize and promote Argentina’s friendly matches against Venezuela and Puerto Rico last October, in exchange for ticket, broadcast, and sponsorship revenue. According to Vid, Messi was expected to play at least 30 minutes in each match, barring injury.
“The complaint indicates that the expected participation of Lionel Messi was a key factor in these agreements, integral to the contracts and essential for the matches’ commercial success,” stated Ralph Patino, legal counsel for VID Music Group, in a statement on Wednesday evening.
Messi, now 38, watched Argentina’s 1-0 victory over Venezuela from a suite at South Florida’s Hard Rock Stadium on October 10, as referenced in the lawsuit.
The following day, Messi scored two goals in Inter Miami’s 4-0 MLS win against Atlanta, a crucial match for securing home-field advantage in the playoffs.
On October 14, Messi played in Argentina’s commanding 6-0 win against Puerto Rico. Originally scheduled to be held in Chicago, the match was relocated to Florida due to low ticket sales, which the AFA attributed to heightened immigration enforcement leading to over 1,000 arrests in the area, causing organizers to ultimately move the game. Even with ticket prices slashed to $25, the venue in Fort Lauderdale did not sell out.
VID has not disclosed the specific damages sought in the lawsuit, but claims they incurred millions in losses due to Messi’s absence in one game and disappointing ticket sales at the other.
Contributions to this report were provided by The Associated Press.