Celebrating Title Win with Personal Brand Drink May Have Left MLS and Its Sponsors Unhappy – Messi

According to talkSPORT, after Inter Miami CF recently won the MLS regular season title, a move by Messi during the celebration has sparked controversy.

In the match against Columbus Crew, Messi scored twice, helping his team beat the opponent 3-2 and secure their first Supporters’ Shield, an award given by the MLS to the best-performing team in the regular season.

Throughout the season, Inter Miami played a total of 32 games, winning 20, accumulating 68 points, a record that earned them the regular season championship. Messi didn’t forget to show off on social media, posting several celebratory photos. One was a group photo with teammates surrounding the trophy in the locker room, while another showed him and team owner Jorge Mas holding up the trophy, with Messi also holding a bottle of his own brand of sports drink.

Considering that the MLS has a major sponsor from another beverage brand, many netizens commented, “This move is likely to make the MLS sponsors cry in the bathroom.” Franco Panizo, co-host of the Inter Miami podcast, also stated that this would upset the MLS and its sponsors.

However, it’s revealed that Messi’s promotion was actually not a problem. Insiders said that although the MLS has its official partners, clubs and players can still have their own sponsors, especially across different product categories. Therefore, Messi’s move was not only legal but also quite smart!

Of course, besides celebrating the victory, Messi also shared photos taken with some old friends—former Barcelona teammates Alba, Suarez, and Busquets. These former Camp Nou heroes gathered in Miami, infusing the team with formidable combat power and raising expectations for them to lead Inter Miami to even greater glory.

As of 2024, Messi had contributed 17 goals and 10 assists in the league, while Suarez led the team’s scoring charts with 18 goals. Now, Inter Miami sits firmly at the top of the Eastern Conference, with two remaining matches against Toronto FC and New England Revolution before directly entering the MLS playoffs.