By Kwame Bediako
Inter Miami captain Lionel Messi was approached by Mexican referee Marco Antonio Ortiz Nava who requested for his jersey following Inter Miami CF’s 1-0 victory over Sporting Kansas City in the Concacaf Champions Cup.
Ortiz Nava, known for his professional demeanour on the field, made the unprecedented ask after the final whistle had blown, leaving Messi and his team in a cold and bewildered state.
Messi, who had just scored his first official goal of the year, obliged the referee’s request, as he agreed to give him the jersey once he goes inside the changing room and for good reason. The Argentina icon, who had played the full 90 minutes, was in high spirits following the team’s hard-fought win.
However, the match was far from easy, as extremely cold temperatures at Children’s Mercy Park reached 3 degrees Fahrenheit, with a “real feel” of negative eight at halftime.
Despite the freezing environment, Messi remained composed throughout the game, as Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano praised his performance afterward. “I think it’s impossible to play in these conditions,” Mascherano said, emphasizing the inhumane nature of the situation. “It is not human.”
