Cape Verde's Leo Varela Sparks Controversy in World Cup Loss to Argentina

Cape Verde's midfielder Leo Varela, who plays for Maccabi Tel Aviv, became the center of attention during his team's 3-2 extra-time defeat to Argentina in the 2026 World Cup round of 16 match held overnight between Friday and Saturday. Despite Cape Verde's heroic performance and praise for their tournament showing, a controversial moment in the 98th minute stirred debate online. With the score tied 1-1, Varela was fouled outside the penalty area after a left-wing run, but the referee did not call a foul. Fans and commentators criticized the decision, accusing FIFA of favoring Lionel Messi, with comments like "How can such a clear foul be missed?" and "FIFA helps Messi when he doesn't need help. It's ridiculous. Varela showed great dribbling and deserved a whistle." Varela, who entered the match as a substitute in the 80th minute, earned a 6.5 rating from Flashscore, the second-highest among substitutes and seventh overall for Cape Verde. He will also be remembered for scoring in the group stage in a 2-2 draw against Uruguay. Notably, Cape Verde did not lose any World Cup match in regulation time during the tournament. Varela is expected to return to play soon in Kiryat Shalom.