[86362] The refereeing storm surrounding Lionel Messi: Should the star have been sent off?

The refereeing storm surrounding Lionel Messi: Should the star have been sent off?

A heated discussion is developing on social media regarding controversial refereeing decisions in Lionel Messi's past. Many sports media outlets raised repeated claims today (June 17, 2026) that the Argentine star received lenient treatment from referees in past cases that would have warranted an expulsion.

The channel World Cup Football Sport Bad News, known for its tendency to cover dramatic and even scandalous events in the world of football, published several messages under the heading "Urgent: VAR Archive," in which it was firmly claimed that "Messi should have been sent off". The reports gained wide exposure with over 33,000 views in the last few hours.

The channel Football | News and Sports News 3 also joined these claims, stating firmly that according to the VAR footage, Messi should have seen the red card. This approach stands in contrast to more lenient interpretations, as channels such as ⚽️ Football Goal and Sport | ⚽️ 𝙛𝙤𝙤𝙩𝙗𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙥𝙤رت described the case in a slightly different tone, noting that "Messi was very lucky not to have been sent off", thereby placing the emphasis on the misfortune of the referees or the system instead of malicious intent on the player's part.

The topic continues to occupy sports fans online, with the discussion focusing on the issue of transparency and consistency of the VAR system regarding high-profile players like Messi.