Argentina vs Switzerland: when Messi puts the referee in his place

On Saturday night, Lionel Messi showed his character against Switzerland in the quarter-finals of this 2026 World Cup.

In the 42nd minute of the first half of the quarter-final, Lionel Messi went straight up to Portuguese referee João Pinheiro to call him out for his attitude. "Speak to me with respect, don't be disrespectful. I spoke to you respectfully," La Pulga told him in the center of the pitch—a moment that quickly went viral across social media.

Far from a simple protest over a refereeing decision, the former Barça star simply didn’t appreciate the way the referee spoke to the Argentine players. "The captain set the boundaries for the referee in the quarter-final, with the same calm and firmness he always shows in the most delicate situations on the pitch," interpreted Argentine outlet Clarin.

Joshua SOSSOU

Editorfr, en, ar

As a sports fan, and particularly a football fan, I've been putting my writing talent to good use for a number of years now to promote African talent and the continent's football in general. On Foot Africa, enjoy reading each of my lines.