Argentina’s FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign kicked off with huge excitement as fans were eager to watch Lionel Messi back on the biggest stage once again. The Argentina star stole the spotlight with a brilliant hat-trick in a 3-0 win over Algeria, also drawing level with Miroslav Klose’s all-time World Cup record of 16 goals, further adding to his legacy in the tournament.
However, the post-match discussion quickly shifted away from the result as controversy emerged over a moment in the game where Messi was involved in a dangerous challenge that went unpunished.
While Argentina celebrated a dominant victory, many fans debated whether the referee should have shown a red card, making the officiating decision a major talking point alongside Messi’s historic performance.
Messi’s night was filled with milestones as he found the net three times, opening the scoring in the 17th minute with a trademark strike from outside the area. He added a second shortly after the restart before completing his hat-trick late in the match, receiving a standing ovation from the crowd when he was substituted.
However, one moment during the first half sparked plenty of debate. With Argentina leading 1-0, Messi mistimed a challenge on Algeria defender Aïssa Mandi, with his studs appearing to catch the back of Mandi’s calf. The Algerian defender went down briefly before continuing, and while the referee awarded a foul, no card was shown. VAR also chose not to intervene, deciding against recommending a review for serious foul play. The decision quickly became a talking point online, with many fans expressing surprise that neither the referee nor VAR took further action as clips of the incident spread across social media.
“It’s 100% a red card for Lionel Messi. It should’ve been.” Ale Moreno and Nedum Onuoha react to Messi’s challenge against Algeria’s Aïssa Mandi.
Part of the fan reaction also comes from memories of the 2022 FIFA World Cup quarterfinal between Argentina and the Netherlands, where Messi avoided a second yellow card after handling the ball deliberately. Referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz ruled that the incident did not interrupt a promising attack or deny a clear goal-scoring chance, meaning only a free kick was awarded.
That decision remains a talking point among supporters, and for some fans, the latest controversy against Algeria has revived similar debates about whether Messi has previously benefited from lenient officiating in major World Cup matches. But some fans took his side.
Source:The Sunday Guardian
Bd-pratidin English/ ANI
