In a landmark legal decision, the American Professional Soccer League (MLS) and the Canadian club Vancouver Whitecaps have been ordered to pay financial compensation of 300,000 euros (approximately 347,000 dollars) due to the absence of Argentinian superstar Lionel Messi from an Inter Miami match. This controversy began in May 2024 when the club leveraged Messi’s name alongside colleagues Luis Suárez and Sergio Busquets to promote their upcoming game against Inter Miami, significantly inflating ticket prices in the process. However, just 48 hours before the match, coach Tata Martino announced that the trio would not make the trip to Canada, which led to widespread disappointment among ticket holders.