Lionel Messi has encouraged FIFA to reconsider their referee selection after criticizing Antonio Mateu Lahoz’s performance in Friday’s World Cup semi-final.
The referee issued 18 yellow cards throughout the tense match, which Argentina finally won on penalties after blowing a two-goal lead thanks to a late double from Wout Weghorst.
Lionel Messi, who set up Argentina’s first goal before putting home a penalty within 90 minutes, was overjoyed with the win but couldn’t disguise his unhappiness with Lahoz’s performance afterward.
“I was upset,” he said. “The game was not meant to go to penalties.
“I don’t want to comment about the referee since they are the ones that discipline you, but people were seeing what occurred. We were worried about the game because we knew how he was.
“FIFA should reconsider the referees they utilize in games like these.
Lahoz is a top official in La Liga and has plenty of experience with Messi from his stint with Barcelona, including booking the Argentine during his iconic homage to the late Diego Maradona as he stripped his jersey in November 2020.
In the 2013/14 season, the referee put himself in hot water with Barcelona supporters after he ruled out a Messi goal in a 1-1 draw with Atletico Madrid that helped Los Rojiblancos win the championship. According to accounts, Lahoz subsequently apologized for his blunder.
