In a major development, the AFF (Algeria Football Federation) has officially filed a complaint with FIFA due to the alleged refereeing injustice that they went through in their clash against defending champions Argentina in the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2026.
It is worth noting that the game was marked with Lionel Messi scoring a hat-trick and becoming the joint-highest goalscorer in World Cup history with 16 goals to his name. However, one of the most talked-about moments of the game was a foul by Lionel Messi that many opined should have been a red card.
It is interesting to note that Messi appeared to step on Algeria’s Aissa Mandi's calf, which many felt should have been a red card. Regarding the same, the AFF has filed a complaint with FIFA, as no disciplinary action was taken against the Argentine skipper.
The report also stated that the complaint was also filed against the challenge that midfielder Alexis Mac Allister made to Ibrahim Maza when he hit him with an alleged elbow challenge which was also ignored by the referee.
"The complaint primarily concerns Messi's challenge, which deserved a red card, in everyone's opinion. There were also two elbow incidents... Both of which warranted dismissals. We are not saying that the Argentine team was not strong, but we cannot remain silent in the face of injustice," a source in the know was quoted as saying by the Hindustan Times.
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Argentina to take on Jordan next
With a win against Algeria secured and having gotten off to a perfect start to their World Cup campaign, Argentina will be taking on Jordan next. The two sides will meet at the Dallas Stadium in Arlington on June 28th, and both sides will hope to put in their best performances.
Argentina, who sit in first place in their group, will aim for their second win of the tournament. Coming in as the defending champions, a lot could once again depend on the performance of Messi. Especially with a hat-trick in his first game, Messi has been in excellent form and will be a player to watch out for in the upcoming clash.
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