Great to cheap? Messi under fire for shock attempt to send off Cucurella

Lionel Messi’s quest for a fairy-tale finish to his international career ended in bitter disappointment as the Argentina captain cut a frustrated figure during the 2025 FIFA World Cup final. where he did not record a single shot on goal.

Argentina’s reign as world champions did not end with a dignified relinquishment of their crown, but amid a cloud of heavy bitterness and international condemnation. After theirs 0-1 overtime loss to Spain in New York, the South American giants faced intense criticism for a series of unsportsmanlike conduct, culminating in an ugly post-match brawl on the pitch that saw midfielder Leandro Paredes sent off.

In a fiercely contested final, Argentina were reduced to ten men in the second half when Enzo Fernandez received a second yellow card for a reckless challenge on Spain’s Pau Cubars. But the disciplinary collapse deepened significantly as the game got away, starting with an uncharacteristic outburst involving captain Lionel Messi.

During a break late in normal time, television cameras caught Spanish defender Marco Cucurella approaching Messi and covering his mouth with his hand. In response, Messi addressed Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic and aggressively suggested that Cucurella should be sent off under Newly implemented FIFA rules regarding players covering their mouths during confrontational exchanges.

The timing of Messi’s recall showed desperation as Argentina were down to 10 men after Enzo Fernandez was sent off.

Now, Messi fans will claim that he is modest

How can you call yourself an elite player and do this?
Referee call when a player is having a quiet conversation with you

This can never be my goat pic.twitter.com/lz5bYrm9Kk— Daniel Goldline (@AdetokiO) July 19, 2026

Several fans and pundits came to Cucurella’s defense, claiming that the Spanish star was not using offensive language while covering her mouth. Instead, they said he was gesturing that his teammate Pau Cubars had been hit in the mouth after a tough challenge.

The appeals were rejected by the referee, but she earned a sharp rebuke from TV pundits and fans.

Former Arsenal defender Lee Dixon described the tactic as “ridiculous” in an interview on ITV.

“You shouldn’t be such a child as to send someone away for that,” he said.

Former England captain Wayne Rooney agreed.

“Argentina play like that, we know they do. The only thing you want is good sportsmanship. It was sad to see Lionel Messi do that.” Screengrab by X

THUGGERS FROM ARGENTINA

Any lingering vestiges of discipline completely evaporated by the time the referee blew the final whistle to seal Spain’s second World Cup title thanks to an extra-time volley from substitute Ferran Torres.

As Spanish substitutes and staff ran onto the pitch to celebrate, the area near the technical boxes descended into immediate chaos. Defender Nahuel Molina allegedly hit the Spanish substitute in the stomach during the initial confusion. At the same time, Paredes, who spent much of the match playing on the sideline after being cautioned for pushing Dani Olmo, clashed sharply with Eric Garca. Television footage showed the midfielder put his hand on Garco’s neck and push him backwards.

The situation worsened further when Spaniard Gavi intervened to separate the pair. Paredes lunged forward and wrestled with the young midfielderand punched him in the face before ripping his replacement’s training bib.

The ensuing melee required the direct intervention of Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni, who ran onto the pitch to physically restrain his players and drag them away from the confrontation. Once order was restored, the referee gave Paredes a straight red card for his actions.

The defeat marks a bitter end to what is widely expected to be 39-year-old Messi’s final appearance on the World Cup stage. As Spain celebrated a historic tournament win, the dethroned champions’ conduct left a significant stain on the final match, with FIFA expected to review pitch footage before deciding whether further retrospective bans will be handed down.

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Issued by:

Akshay Ramesh

Published on:

Jul 20, 2026 1:03 PM IST