Lionel Messi called for Marc Cucurella to be sent off for breaking a controversial new rule in the World Cup final. Argentina’s Enzo Fernandez had been shown a red card just moments earlier as tempers frayed before the match went to extra time. But Messi was not upset over a foul that the Spanish defender had made, but instead for covering his mouth.
While both sets of players clashed over a poor challenge that led to a late Spain free-kick, Cucurella appeared to say something near to Messi, but the exact nature of the conversation was unclear because Cucurella had obstructed his mouth with his hand. At the World Cup, players have been given red cards for doing so, with Miguel Almiron the first player to be given his marching orders for the offence.
BBC pundits criticised Messi for pointing out Cucurella’s actions to the referee, with Micah Richards downplaying the incident and saying: “There’s not much [in that]. He’s not got his full hand over, it was half wasn’t it? You don’t want to see people getting sent off in a World Cup final for that.”
Joe Hart added: “Yeah I didn’t enjoy that at all from Messi. He realises how on top Spain are in this final Gabby, if even Lionel Messi’s reverting to that.”
Host Gabby Logan described it as “desperation from Messi” while Wayne Rooney insisted: “It is. Argentina play like that, we know that’s what they do. The one thing you want is good sportsmanship. That was sad to see, Lionel Messi doing that.”
The referee ultimately decided against taking up Messi’s advice and did not feel the need to dish out another red card in the second half.
The rule was brought in after a high-profile Champions League incident in February, when Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni raised his shirt while speaking to Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr.
Prestianni was accused of racist abuse and provisionally banned for one match, before a six-match suspension was handed following a UEFA investigation.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino personally intervened to create a punishment at the World Cup that would act as a deterrent for the tournament.
UEFA have decided against replicating the measure for next season’s Champions League, Europa League and UEFA Conference League matches.
Piero Hincapie was also sent off for Ecuador’s defeat to Mexico in the last 16. Both his and Almiron’s red cards were issued after a VAR review.