Lionel Messi is heading into a World Cup semi-final against England, but Argentina’s latest victory has arrived with a fresh wave of noise, anger and suspicion around the officiating.
Lionel Messi ordered the referee to speak to him with respect during Argentina’s clash with Switzerland
The game was one marred by controversy as the Swiss protested against the referee’s decision to send off Breel Embolo
The Argentina captain was caught in an unusual exchange with referee Joao Pinheiro during the 3-1 quarter-final win over Switzerland in Kansas City. Broadcasters picked up Messi appearing to tell the Portuguese official to speak to him with respect after a tense moment in the first half.
The exchange quickly went viral because of the wider mood surrounding Argentina’s route through the knockout stage. Messi was heard saying that he had spoken respectfully and expected the same in return. On its own, it was a brief flashpoint between a superstar captain and a match official. In the context of this World Cup, it has become something far bigger.
Argentina were leading 1-0 at the time through Alexis Mac Allister’s early header, which came from Messi’s corner. Switzerland later fought back through Dan Ndoye, who finished calmly to make the tie level and briefly shifted the momentum away from the defending champions.
Then came the moment that changed the entire match. Breel Embolo, already on a yellow card, was sent off after a VAR review under the tournament’s new mistaken-identity rule. The incident initially looked like a foul by Leandro Paredes, but officials decided Embolo had initiated contact and gone down too easily. A second yellow followed, Switzerland were reduced to 10 men, and the game tilted heavily toward Argentina.
Switzerland were furious. Their players argued that too many decisions had gone Argentina’s way, while manager Murat Yakin described the refereeing as impossible to understand. Manuel Akanji was even stronger, saying he had never experienced such a one-sided match and claiming every small decision seemed to be called against his team.
A late goal from Lautaro Martinez sealed a 3-1 win for Argentina in Kansas City
Those comments have fed into a wider online debate, especially after Egypt also voiced anger following their own defeat to Argentina in the previous round. Some Egyptian figures had made serious claims about the tournament being unfairly handled, allegations that FIFA’s refereeing leadership strongly rejected as unfounded and unacceptable.
That matters because Argentina now walk into one of football’s biggest possible fixtures: a World Cup semi-final against England. The rivalry carries decades of history, from Diego Maradona in 1986 to David Beckham in 1998, and this time Messi will finally face England at a World Cup for the first time in his long international career.
After the win over Switzerland, Messi acknowledged the significance of the match. He described England as a powerhouse and said facing them in a World Cup semi-final would be special, while also stressing that Argentina must prepare as they would for any major opponent.
Argentina eventually finished the Swiss off in extra time. Julian Alvarez restored the lead with a brilliant long-range strike before Lautaro Martinez added a late third to seal the result. On paper, it was another example of Argentina surviving pressure and finding a way through. To their critics, it was another match shaped by controversy.
That is the uncomfortable backdrop to Wednesday’s semi-final. Argentina are still alive, Messi is still chasing another historic chapter, and England are waiting. But before a ball is kicked in Atlanta, the question around the officiating has already become part of the story.
For Argentina fans, the noise may feel like jealousy toward a champion side that knows how to win. For their rivals, it feels like a pattern that is becoming impossible to ignore. Either way, the spotlight on Messi, the officials and FIFA will only grow brighter as England prepare for a semi-final loaded with tension.
