Algerian star with irony. If Messi were removed, the referee would be expelled from the planet.

Arguments are still ongoing regarding the right of Argentina captain Lionel Messi to receive a red card on the night of the victory over Algeria (3-0) in the first round of the 2026 World Cup.

Lionel Messi has sparked a wide-ranging refereeing controversy after what he described as a “violent and reckless” tackle on the foot of Algerian player Issa Mandi during the Argentina-Algeria match. This incident caused the displeasure of fans and analysts, as the referee of the match did not announce a red card or video technology (VAR) intervention.

Regarding this shooting, the former defender of the Algerian national team, Jamal Belamri, said during the “Dorena Gir” program. “I think the referee was very sympathetic to Messi because he deserved to be sent off given his violent interference.”

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“The referee did not dare to make this decision and decided to ignore the shot, but the video technology did not intervene in the first place.”

He continued sarcastically. “If Messi was sent off, the referee would be banished from the planet and I think he is justified in this decision because he is standing in front of one of the most famous football stars in history.”

He referred to his country’s team, saying: “Vladimir Petkovic made a mistake in the starting line-up, and I don’t know why Mahrez was not included from the beginning.

He concluded. “In the next round with Jordan, the situation has to be fixed and we have to play Mahrez from the start because he is a great player and will give us a lot of strength.”