The quarterfinal game between Argentina and Switzerland had the expected pace and intensity as the reigning champions took a 3-1 win. But amid the raining cards, Lionel Messi was seen having some heated exchanges with the referee. He was seen pointing fingers, hinting at something serious. And just as the fans were wondering about what Messi was saying, the conversation was revealed.
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“Talk to me properly. Do not disrespect me, I talk to you respectfully,” The Touchline cited ESPN Argentina in revealing what Lionel Messi was saying to referee Joao Pinheiro.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is already proving very controversial for Messi despite his team’s on-field dominance. Messi already found himself at the center of a few controversial moments, and the latest one adds another. While it is still not clear what triggered him to have such exchanges with the referee, the Argentinian captain was seen visibly frustrated and may have been triggered by how he was dealt with.
However, he quickly regained his composure and went back to play. This is not the first time that Messi and his team have been embroiled in a controversy in this World Cup.
The primary backlash stems from Argentina’s dramatic 3-2 comeback victory against Egypt in the Round of 16. Egypt striker Mostafa Zico scored to put his team further ahead, but French referee Francois Letexier was called to the VAR screen. He controversially disallowed the goal for a foul on Argentina’s Lisandro Martinez that had occurred more than 20 seconds earlier at the opposite end of the pitch. Egypt coach Hossam Hassan chose to blame Messi for the same.
“Perhaps they wanted to keep the world champion in the competition. Perhaps they wanted Messi to stay in the running,” he said then.
Earlier in the tournament, the Algerian Football Federation filed its own official complaint to FIFA regarding Messi. During Argentina’s 3-0 group stage win, Messi caught Algerian captain Aïssa Mandi on the back of the calf with a studs-up challenge. Despite what many experts deemed a clear red-card offense, Messi was not booked, and VAR did not order a review.
During Folarin Balogun’s much-talked-about red card controversy, the USMNT compared it with Messi’s similar foul with no repercussions. So, since the start of the event, Lionel Messi has stayed on the front page. The quarterfinal was no exception.
