An American event management company filed a lawsuit against Argentine star Lionel Messi and the Argentine Football Association due to his absence from a friendly match held in the United States in 2025.

The lawsuit, filed by "VID Music Group" in the state of Florida, accuses the involved parties of misleading the company into entering business agreements based on the assumption of Messi's participation, who is considered the most important element in the marketing value of these matches.

According to the complaint, Messi did not participate in the Argentina vs. Venezuela match held in Miami, even though the agreement stipulated that he would play for at least 30 minutes unless he was injured or ill.

The company asserts that his absence directly affected the audience attendance, with the number of attendees not exceeding 23% of the stadium's capacity, leading to significant financial losses.

The lawsuit also indicated that the Argentine federation breached the terms of the contract, both concerning this match and other matches, including a game against Puerto Rico, as well as plans for future matches in the United States. The company accused a third-party intermediary of fraud, asserting that he played a role in the negotiations despite his official license as a match agent having expired.