Even the referee is in awe! CONCACAF Cup match official makes unusual request to Messi
Yasmine Green
Dailysports's expert
Translated by the editors
Lionel Messi isn’t just an idol for footballers—apparently, even referees admire him! According to The Sun, after the CONCACAF Cup match between Inter Miami and Sporting Kansas City, the match referee made an unusual request to the Argentine star.
Mexican official Marco Antonio Ortiz Nava approached Messi after the final whistle and asked for his jersey as a souvenir. Such requests are typically exchanged between players, making this moment stand out as particularly unique.
Messi agreed but opted to hand over his jersey later in the tunnel rather than on the field, possibly to avoid any controversy that might arise from such a gesture being made in plain view.
Notably, this match was the first time Messi had to play in extreme cold, with temperatures dropping to -22°C. However, even the freezing conditions didn’t stop him from leading his team to victory. He scored the game’s only goal in the 56th minute—his first official goal of the new calendar year.
