5. Messi Was Penalised For Sending Mom a Birthday Wish
The estimated total fine amount for 2011 was $2,200.
When Lionel Messi wrote his mother a birthday card and was fined $2,200 for wearing a shirt with a message on it for her birthday, he demonstrated that he is just as human as the rest of us. Messi is the player that most modern football fans regard as the greatest of all time.
Messi Was Penalised For Sending Mom a Birthday Wish Soccrates Images / Getty Images
Naturally, Messi's team and the league were not pleased with his disdain for the regulations. Watchers of the game could see the words "Happy Birthday, Mum" written on the jersey. The shirt was against La Liga policy, which forbids players from displaying inappropriate content.