Lionel Messi accused of breaching $7 million contract by sitting out a Florida soccer friendly

NewsWorldAmericasLionel Messi accused of breaching $7 million contract by sitting out a Florida soccer friendlyLionel Messi is being sued by a Miami-based event promoter, saying the international soccer icon violated terms of a $7 million contract by missing an exhibition match last yearVia AP news wire Wednesday 15 April 2026 21:44 BSTBookmarkBookmark popoverRemoved from bookmarksClose popover{"translations":{"comments":"Go to comments","share":"Share","copyLink":"Copy link","bookmark":"Bookmark","removeBookmark":"Remove bookmark"},"showComments":false,"showBookmark":true,"articleId":"de3c349323fb3aa9ba5d4036d82c79df","articleMeta":{"url":"https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/lionel-messi-miami-florida-inter-miami-argentina-b2958540.html","title":"Lionel Messi accused of breaching $7 million contract by sitting out a Florida soccer friendly"}}Lionel Messi accused of breaching $7 million contract by sitting out a Florida soccer friendlyShow all 3{"adUnitPath":"71347885/_main_independent/gallery","className":"","title":"Lionel Messi accused of breaching $7 million contract by sitting out a Florida soccer friendly","gallery":[{"data":{"title":"Lionel Messi Lawsuit Soccer","description":"FILE - Argentina forward Lionel Messi, center top, watches from a box with family and friends at the start of an international friendly soccer match between Venezuela and Argentina, Oct. 10, 2025, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell, File)","caption":"Lionel Messi Lawsuit Soccer","copyright":"Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.","credit":"ASSOCIATED PRESS","alt":null,"url":"https://static.independent.co.uk/2026/04/15/21/Lionel_Messi_Lawsuit_Soccer_151_7.jpg","id":"663c1c3203f7461395de8b87e50e9edb","mid":6627082,"uid":0,"smartframe":null,"extra":{"imageSize":{"width":2225,"height":1488}}},"type":"image"},{"data":{"title":"Lionel Messi Lawsuit Soccer","description":"FILE - Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi (10) runs with the ball as Atlant...