Khaberni - On a night that was supposed to stay in Lionel Messi's memory due to a new World Cup hat-trick, one moment seized a wide side of the debate after the match between Argentina and Algeria, thrusting his name into the heart of an extensive refereeing controversy on social platforms.
The moment came in the 30th minute of the match, while the title-holding Argentina team was ahead with a goal scored by Messi himself, and during a play for the ball, the Argentine captain forcefully tackled Issa Mandi, the Algerian team defender, in a scene many saw as warranting a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review and possibly a direct red card.
However, Polish referee Szymon Marciniak did not issue a red card, nor did the video assistant referee room intervene to review the situation, turning the moment into a focal point of widespread anger, particularly among Arab and Algerian followers.
Minute 30 Incident
The widely circulated footage showed a strong intervention by Messi on Issa Mandi's leg from behind, at a time when the match was still open, with the Algerian team seeking to come back in the score.
After the clip spread, many comments focused on the intervention's angle and the site of the injury, considering that using the bottom of the boot in an unprotected area of the leg escalates the situation from a normal foul to violent play warranting an expulsion.
This coincided with Messi continuing in the match before scoring a hat-trick that led the Argentine team to a significant victory over Algeria in the opening journey of both teams in Group 10 of the 2026 World Cup.
"Serious Mistake" by Video Technology
The Spanish network "Archivo VAR," which specializes in analyzing controversial refereeing cases, opened the door to criticisms against the refereeing crew, considering that the video technology made a "serious mistake" by not intervening to review the incident.
The network said that Messi "drove the studs of his boots into the back of Mandi's calf," causing it to bend forcefully, describing the situation as "a clear direct red card that is indisputable."
Furthermore, it added that the video assistant referee room decided to "turn a blind eye" to the incident and did not call the referee to review it, in a move described with harsh terms by the network.
Refereeing Expert: The Situation Warrants a Red Card
The debate was not limited to fan speculations, asFahd Al-Mirdasi, the Saudi refereeing expert, confirmed that the incident warranted a direct red card for Messi.
Al-Mirdasi based his readings on the nature of the intervention and the use of boots' studs in an unprotected area of the Algerian defender's leg, criteria that referees rely on to assess the severity of violent play.
Al-Mirdasi’s opinion became widely circulated among followers who saw that the absence of the video assistant referee's intervention intensified the controversy, especially since the incident involved a player of Messi's stature in a highly publicized match.
Arab Anger on X
On the platform X, Arab and Algerian accounts interacted intensely with the incident, with some believing that Messi benefited from his status and star power, and others considering that the referee and video technology dealt with the situation with unjustifiable leniency.
One blogger wrote: "We know Messi is a legend, but does that mean he is above the law? Any other player would have received at least a yellow card."
Activist Mutasim Zaqout commented on the incident with a video he posted on his account, pointing out that not counting the foul in this way opens the door to questions about why the referee did not review the situation.
Moreover, a sports activist described Messi's non-expulsion as a "refereeing scandal," considering that video technology failed to perform its role at a critical moment in the match.
Another activist wrote: "Messi forcefully placed his studs on Issa Mandi's leg from behind, and did not even get a warning. Where is the video technology? And where is the principle of justice in football?"
Messi's Brilliance
Messi had a remarkable night, scoring a "hat-trick" against Algeria, leading the Argentine team to a significant win in the beginning of their title defense campaign, at the Kansas City stadium.
According to sports platforms after the match, the hat-trick brought Messi level with German Miroslav Klose in the top scorers in World Cup history, adding a historical dimension to the evening.
But the refereeing controversy covered part of this achievement, as followers saw that Messi's continuation on the field after the Mandi incident changed the course of the match, especially since the first goal had already been scored before the incident, and a possible expulsion would have put Argentina in a different situation against Algeria.
The match ended with the Argentine team defeating Algeria by Messi's hat-trick, within the competitions of Group 10, which also includes Austria and Jordan.
