A referee has been disciplined for asking Inter Miami star Lionel Messi for his autograph after a CONCACAF clash this week.
Inter Miami defeated Sporting KC 1-0 in the first leg of their Concacaf Champions Clash on Thursday in freezing weather in Kansas City.
Read: Al Ahly Boss: We Are Excited To Face Messi
However, referee Marco Antonio Ortiz sparked some controversy after ESPN revealed he asked for Messi's autograph
"CONCACAF is aware of the interaction that occurred between referee Marco Antonio Ortiz Nava and player Lionel Messi immediately following the final whistle of last night's Concacaf Champions Cup match between Sporting Kansas City and Inter Miami CF," a CONCACAF spokesperson told ESPN in a statement.
"Upon investigation, CONCACAF has learned that the referee approached the player to request an autograph for a family member with special needs.
"The referee's conduct does not align with the Confederation's Code of Conduct for match officials and existing processes for these types of requests. The referee has acknowledged his mistake, apologized for the incident, and accepted the disciplinary action CONCACAF has applied."
Miami will begin their MLS campaign against New York City FC on Sunday.
