Lionel Messi Criticized After Attempting to Get Marc Cucurella Sent Off in World Cup Final
Lionel Messi was labelled “a baby” after his apparent attempt to get Marc Cucurella sent off in the World Cup final.
The Argentina captain was reacting to an interaction with the Spain defender during a tense final in New York.
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In the immediate aftermath of Enzo Fernandez’s red card for a second yellow for his foul on Pau Cubarsi, players gathered around the Slovenian referee, Slavko Vincic.
Cucurella could be seen trying to speak with Messi, but the Argentine forward made a desperate attempt to report the Real Madrid star to Vincic for covering his mouth during their exchange.
Lionel Messi protests with Marc Cucurella in the World Cup final (BBC Sport)
According to FIFA World Cup regulations, players can receive red cards for communicating with an opponent while covering their mouth, as demonstrated by Paraguay’s Miguel Almiron in the past.
ITV commentator Lee Dixon expressed his dismay over Messi’s actions, stating during the broadcast, “The game has gone if you’re getting bookings and red cards for that. You shouldn’t be such a baby to try and get someone sent off for that; it’s ridiculous.”
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In the end, super sub Ferran Torres propelled Spain to their second men’s World Cup victory as what appears to be Messi’s last tournament concluded with a 1-0 extra-time defeat for the ten-man Argentina.
Advertised as a box-office final between the South American and European champions, the match devolved into a defensive battle, with Argentina struggling to muster an impactful response.
The struggling team failed to register a single shot during the 90 minutes, while goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez delivered a series of remarkable saves to keep Spain at bay, notably denying teenager Lamine Yamal’s free-kick.
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Things worsened for Argentina when Enzo Fernandez received a second yellow card just before extra time, further complicating their efforts against Luis de la Fuente’s skilled team.
Spain continued to press forward, and Torres ultimately found the net at the beginning of the second half of extra time. Argentina couldn’t manage to secure an equalizer, looking like a shadow of the team that had impressed in the semi-finals against England.
Tempers flared as the final whistle marked the start of Spanish celebrations, signaling what may be the end of 39-year-old Messi’s World Cup career.