Don Garber admitted that Lionel Messi didn’t like him months before heated Campeones Cup incident
Lionel Messi seemed to have a confrontation with MLS Commissioner Don Garber after Inter Miami secured the 2026 MLS Campeones Cup. Garber could be seen smiling and having a conversation with Messi while the Argentinian legend had an angry look and repeatedly waved his fingers at the Commissioner.
Don Garber, MLS Commissioner, revealed during a July 2026 interview that Lionel Messi has been holding a grudge against him since 2025. Garber claims that Messi blamed him for officiating issues in the MLS. After Inter Miami's 2026 MLS Campeones Cup win, Messi was seen angrily waving his fingers at Garber while Garber smiled and continued their conversation.
The incident occurred after Inter Miami's 2026 Campeones Cup final victory over Cruz Azul, a match that had tense moments with Messi protesting referee decisions. This suggests that Messi holds Garber accountable for officiating issues in the MLS, even if he doesn't see Garber as the one who selects referees.
Written by urgent.news from Yahoo Sports's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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