Messi tackles Algerian player during their 2026 World Cup opening match. Credit: GOAL.COM
Algeria have lodged a complaint with FIFA over “refereeing injustice” in their opening World Cup loss to Argentina, particularly a tackle by Lionel Messi, an Algerian football federation source told AFP on Friday.
Messi caught Algeria defender Aissa Mandi on the calf with a studs-up challenge from behind in the 30th minute of Tuesday’s match but was not booked.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, who had already given reigning world champions Argentina the lead, went on to score a hat-trick.
“The complaint primarily concerns Messi’s challenge, which deserved a red card, in everyone’s opinion,” said the federation source.
