The MLS has issued a fine to Inter Miami superstar Lionel Messi following a heated altercation during Wednesday night’s 2-2 draw against the Philadelphia Union.The incident occurred off the ball in the middle of the pitch during the second-half, when Messi got into a tense verbal exchange with Union midfielder Quinn Sullivan.Video footage showed Messi briefly swiping at and striking the back of Sullivan’s neck before Philadelphia midfielder Yannick Bright and match officials stepped in to separate the pair.Referee Filip Dujic had his back turned at the moment of contact and did not issue a yellow or red card on the field, allowing play to continue uninterrupted.MLS’ Disciplinary Committee reviewed the footage on Friday and imposed an undisclosed financial fine on Messi rather than issuing a suspension, keeping him eligible for Inter Miami’s upcoming fixtures.Inter Miami teammate Ian Fray was also handed an undisclosed fine by the league for a separate incident during the same chaotic stoppage-time period, after he grabbed Quinn Sullivan by the neck following a challenge inside the box. The MLS has issued a fine to Inter Miami superstar Lionel Messi following a heated altercation during Wednesday night’s 2-2 draw against the Philadelphia Union Messi squared up to Quinn Sullivan before striking him on the head during a fiery exchangeThe altercation escalated further when 16-year-old Manchester City signee Cavan Sullivan stepped in to defend his older brother, sparking a multi-player scuffle that resulted in straight red cards for both Cavan Sullivan and Inter Miami’s Yannick Bright.However, an independent review panel consisting of representatives from U.S. Soccer, Canada Soccer, and the Professional Referee Organization unanimously voted on Friday to rescind Cavan Sullivan’s red card and one-game suspension, making the teenager available for Philadelphia’s match against Austin FC.The fine marks the second time Messi has faced disciplinary action from MLS since joining the league in 2023, following a previous fine in February 2025 for a postmatch altercation with New York City FC assistant coach Medhi Ballouchy.The news of Messi’s fine comes shortly after FIFA slapped his Argentina teammate, Leandro Paredes, with a 10-match ban over a fight at the end of the World Cup final against Spain – with team-mate Nahuel Molina hit with a seven-game sanction. Paredes grabbed Spain’s Eric Garcia by the neck before punching Gavi in the face and pushing him to the ground in appalling scenes at full time.The 32-year-old will now miss Argentina’s next ten matches and has also been fined £65,000. Molina was another involved in the fracas, hitting Spain captain Rodri in the torso as he ran past, prompting the midfielder to square up to his rival. FIFA have handed Molina a seven-match ban.Meanwhile, Argentina’s Thiago Almada and Spain’s Gavi will serve one-match bans for their role in the unsporting scenes.