Lionel Messi has broken his silence following Argentina’s controversial loss to Morocco in a match that has stirred up considerable debate.
Despite entering the match as one of the tournament favorites, boasting a squad featuring Julian Alvarez, Nicolas Otamendi, and Enzo Fernandez, Argentina found themselves trailing 2-0 in Saint-Etienne, courtesy of two goals by Soufiane Rahimi.
Giuliano Simeone managed to narrow the deficit for Argentina in the 68th minute, sparking hopes of a comeback.
Then, in what appeared to be the 106th minute, Cristian Medina seemingly equalized for Argentina amidst a chaotic scramble.
The match, however, took an unexpected turn as the referee decided to add a staggering 15 minutes of stoppage time.
It was during this period that Medina’s goal was scored, leveling the score, but in the 16th minute of added time.
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However, the game was marred by further controversy as projectiles including bottles and plastic cups rained down from the stands and several spectators entered the pitch, with the referee promptly blowing the whistle, leading to the suspension of the match without a confirmed result.
Eventually, it was announced that both teams would play three more minutes without fans present.
Both sides finally reappeared two hours later to play out three more minutes in a stadium that was by now emptied of spectators.
After play resumed, Medina’s goal was eventually disallowed for offside following a VAR review, and Morocco held on to claim all three points.
Lionel Messi, who previously won Gold at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing with Argentina, appeared to have voiced his displeasure on Instagram.
He posted the word “Insolito,” meaning “Unbelievable,” along with a stunned emoji to convey his disbelief after the events that transpired.