The captain of the Argentine national team, Lionel Messi, dedicated progress to the semi-finals of the World Cup through the Netherlands to the late legend Diego Maradona. The star striker criticized the head referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz from Spain, who handed out a record 18 yellow cards (two of them to Argentine team members) and one red after the heated duel, which the South Americans won after the penalty shootout. Emotions worked even after the final whistle, even Messi himself got into the conflict.
The seven-time winner of the Golden Ball could not come up with the name of Wout Weghorst, who attacked the Argentine star already during the match. The lanky Dutch striker was one of the actors to receive a yellow card from the substitutes’ bench. “What are you looking at, idiot?” Messi said to Weghorst during an interview for TyCSports TV. Both teams contributed to the tense atmosphere. At the end of regular time, after a sharp foul, Leandro Paredes hit the ball with all his might at the Dutch substitute, and a mass fight broke out. Occasional scuffles continued during overtime and after the match.
“I’m angry. But the referee I don’t want to comment more, so as not to get a penalty. Everyone saw what was happening on the pitch,” said Messi, who followed up Nahuel Molina’s penalty kick in the 73rd minute to give his team a two-goal lead. But Weghorst struck in the 83rd minute and the 11th minute of regulation, and in the end a penalty shootout had to be decided. Just like in the semi-finals of the 2014 World Cup, the South Americans managed it.
“When Lautaro (Martínez) converted the last penalty, it was a huge joy. Not only ours and the fans in the audience, but certainly all over Argentina. A stone fell from our hearts.” rejoiced the seven-time winner of the Ballon d’Or Messi, who with four goals is in second place in the table of scorers of the tournament in Qatar behind the Frenchman Kylian Mbappé.
The 35-year-old Messi probably has the last chance to emulate the legendary Maradona and lead Argentina to the World Cup title. The last time the current South American champions did it was in 1986. “Diego is watching from above and cheering us on. I believe that it will remain so until the very end and that it will lead us to the goal.” added Messi.
In Tuesday’s semi-final, the Argentines will meet the Croatians. The defenders of the silver also eliminated the favored Brazil on penalty kicks on Friday.
