League: Bundesliga Sport: Soccer Country: Germany Category: Scores & Results

Lionel Messi should have received red card in World Cup match, ex-ref says

Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Jun 17, 2026, 10:56 AM

Last updated Jun 17, 2026

Lionel Messi should have received red card in World Cup match, ex-ref says

Summary

In Argentina's 3-0 World Cup victory over Algeria on June 16, Lionel Messi was implicated by former Bundesliga referee Patrick Ittrich for a potential red card offense. Messi kicked Aissa Mandi on the calf and Achilles tendon in the 31st minute. Ittrich stated that under the law this warranted a red card, contrary to the referee's decision to issue only a warning, which the video assistant referee also did not challenge. Despite this, Messi scored a hat-trick, tying Miroslav Klose for the record of most goals in World Cup history with 16.

Source Links

Yahoo Sports

By the Numbers

•Messi scored a hat-trick in the match against Algeria.
•Ittrich claimed Messi should have been sent off in the first half.
•The incident occurred in the 31st minute.
•Messi equals Miroslav Klose's World Cup goals record with 16 goals.
•The VAR did not intervene in the referee's decision to issue a warning.

Latest Updates

10:56 AMYahoo Sports — Messi should have been sent off, says German ex-referee

What they're saying

"
Argentina's hat-trick hero Lionel Messi should have been sent off in Tuesday's 3-0 World Cup win over Algeria, according to former Bundesliga referee Patrick Ittrich. In the 31st minute, Messi kicked Aissa Mandi from behind on the calf and Achilles tendon.
— Yahoo Sports

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Bundesliga Soccer