Lionel Messi’s hat trick in Argentina’s 3-0 World Cup win over Algeria was overshadowed by a growing backlash over a foul he committed on Algerian defender Issa Mandi while Argentina led 1-0. Many fans, commentators, and former referees argued that the VAR team should have alerted Polish referee Szymon Marciniak to issue a straight red card.
Critics across the Arab world said Messi’s challenge was a clear dangerous tackle, not an accidental contact. In a viral video, Egyptian content creator and football analyst Mamdouh NasrAllah said, “What Messi did today to Issa Mandi is the dictionary definition of a straight red card.” He added that there was “no room for interpretation” and that the studs were “clearly and dangerously” driven above the Algerian player’s ankle.
NasrAllah, known online as “Al-Midfa’a” or “The Cannon,” has more than 2 million YouTube subscribers and over 1.2 million Instagram followers. He said that if any other player had made the same tackle, he would have been sent off and suspended for multiple matches. But, he argued, “when it comes to Lionel Messi, and especially in his last World Cup, the laws of football simply change,” and the referee’s silence was “a scandal.”
The criticism was not limited to Algeria. The Spanish-language account Archivo Var, which has more than 400,000 followers and analyzes refereeing decisions, called it an “embarrassing and horrifying VAR failure,” saying Messi’s studs struck Mandi from behind and bent his leg with excessive force. It said the incident was “a clear straight red card” and accused the VAR crew of cowardice for not intervening. Argentina’s next Group C matches are scheduled for June 22 against Austria in Dallas and June 28 against Jordan in Dallas, while Algeria is set to face Jordan on June 23 in San Francisco and Austria on June 28 in Kansas City.
