Lionel Messi faced criticism from Wayne Rooney, Micah Richards, and Joe Hart for his attempt to influence the referee to send off Marc Cucurella in a deceptive manner during the World Cup final. The incident occurred late in the Argentina vs. Spain match at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, following a relatively uneventful 90 minutes of play, when Enzo Fernandez received a red card.
Chelsea’s player, Fernandez, already cautioned earlier for dissent, recklessly fouled Pau Curbasi during stoppage time, resulting in a red card from referee Slavko Vincic. Amid the commotion, Messi tried to exploit a potential infraction by Cucurella, a Real Madrid defender, who appeared to cover his mouth while speaking with Messi, possibly violating FIFA’s anti-racism rule.
Despite Messi’s efforts to draw attention to Cucurella’s actions, no action was taken against him. The BBC panel, comprising Rooney, Richards, Hart, and Gabby Logan, expressed disappointment with Messi’s behavior during the match.
The conversation highlighted Messi’s questionable tactics, with Richards noting the minimal hand gesture made by Cucurella and questioning the severity of potential consequences. Hart also disapproved of Messi’s actions, suggesting they revealed a sense of desperation in the Argentine’s performance.
Rooney remarked on Argentina’s style of play, emphasizing the importance of sportsmanship and expressing disappointment in Messi’s conduct. The incident raised concerns about fair play at the highest level of international football competition.
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