World Cup is ‘rigged’ as FIFA accused of ‘defending Lionel Messi’
Lionel Messi escaped a red card for a dangerous tackle during Argentina’s World Cup clash against Algeria, with fans and pundits alike left furious at the referee and VAR’s failure to act
Messi apologised to Mandi at the time(Image: Omar Vega, Getty Images)
Lionel Messi’s escape from a red card against Algeria has sparked claims the World Cup is being manipulated. Argentina’s skipper appeared to drive the studs of his left boot into the right leg of opposing defender Aissa Mandi.
Messi, 38, wasn’t even shown a yellow card for the tackle that left Lille’s number two grasping his calf after tumbling to the turf. The flashpoint occurred moments after Inter Miami’s talisman netted his nation’s opening goal of the competition.
Two further strikes followed in the second half to seal a maiden World Cup hat-trick. Yet his continued participation remained contentious.
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A user on X said: “It’s so obvious that FIFA is going to protect Messi again this World Cup. That should have easily been a red card. Expect the same with (Cristiano) Ronaldo. It’s going to be rigged for them to play against each other.”
Another said: “There’s no way this isn’t a red card. Even Messi himself realised the blunder he made. They didn’t even give him a yellow.”, reports the Mirror.
One more added on social media: “Nah, this is a clear RED card for Messi. Almost broke this man’s leg. Blame the ref and VAR. Clear red card for Messi.”
Multiple pundits also believed it warranted a dismissal. Nedum Onuoha said on ESPN: “It probably should have been a red card. It feels like the moment was missed. When the player was on the floor, you could see Messi had a level of concern towards him because he knew that he potentially had just done something there that could get him in trouble.
“I think the referee’s probably missed it, and I understand why the referee’s missed it, but for the video assistant referee to look at that and say ‘nah, that’s all fine, there’s nothing more to it’, I personally think that is worthy of a red card.”
His fellow pundit Ale Moreno concurred: “100% a red card for Lionel Messi. It should have been. I tell you what else is concerning, it plays along this narrative that great players get preferential treatment… It plays into the narrative that these guys get a different sort of treatment.”
Moreno queried: “Why is (the referee) Szymon Marciniak not being called over to see this? It should have been a red card for Lionel Messi. As much as I love Lionel Messi, that was a clumsy challenge, a bad challenge, you’re raking the back of someone’s calf all the way up from the knee down to the ankle. Should have been a red card.”
FIFA has not yet commented on the accusations or the incident.
