Messi Rebukes Critics Amid Argentina’s Controversial World Cup Run

Lionel Messi addressed criticisms aimed at Argentina’s World Cup triumph, stating, “Nothing was handed to us.” The legendary player reacted to detractors who accuse the team of benefiting from favorable officiating and favoritism.

Argentina’s path to the final showcased their ability to overturn late-game deficits, a testament to their championship pedigree. Their recent 2-1 comeback victory over England, after trailing 1-0 until the 85th minute, secured a spot in the final against Spain. Celebrations erupted in Buenos Aires as fans filled the streets to cheer their team’s success, bringing them within reach of consecutive World Cup titles.

Argentina had previously emerged victorious against Cape Verde and Switzerland in extra time. Their match against Egypt featured a remarkable comeback from a 2-0 deficit, resulting in a 3-2 win. However, both the Swiss and Egyptian coaches criticized the officiating, with Egypt’s Hossam Hassan suggesting bias towards Messi and Argentina.

These allegations fueled criticism from fans who claimed the FIFA bracket favored Argentina, accompanied by unfounded social media claims that FIFA desired Argentina’s championship victory. Messi, after the win over England, stated, “We’ve been the best over these past four years, either you like it or not, and no matter what anyone says.”

The Swiss game’s controversial moment occurred when Leandro Paredes received a yellow card following a tackle on Breel Embolo. Video evidence suggested Embolo was already falling before contact, leading to his sending off due to an earlier yellow card and leaving Switzerland with 10 players. Swiss coach Murat Yakin lamented the decision, calling it “unacceptable.”

The Egyptian Football Association also voiced dissatisfaction, claiming biased officiating in their defeat to Argentina. Argentina’s team, however, refrained from addressing these complaints publicly. Coach Lionel Scaloni had previously advised journalists to avoid social media speculation. Following the England game, Messi reaffirmed their accomplishments, saying, “Reaching two consecutive World Cup finals is something very few achieve, and this group did it.”

The match also intersected with geopolitical tensions over the Falkland Islands, or Malvinas, as players celebrated with a banner claiming the islands for Argentina. This led the British government to urge FIFA to investigate.

Enzo Fernandez, whose goal leveled the score against England, gestured towards critics during his celebration. Scaloni remarked, “With VAR today, it’s very difficult to get help; it would have to be glaringly obvious. We knew there was no help.”