Argentina superstar Lionel Messi has faced intense backlash from football fans on X following his attempts to get Spain defender Marc Cucurella sent off during the 2026 FIFA World Cup final on Sunday, July 19. The incident occurred during stoppage time in a match where Spain had largely dominated play, though they were repeatedly thwarted by goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez.
Tensions rose late in the game when Argentina's Enzo Fernandez was issued a red card in the third minute of stoppage time for a reckless tackle on Pau Cubarsi. Shortly thereafter, Marc Cucurella was seen speaking to Lionel Messi with his hand covering his mouth. Messi gestured to match officials, appearing to argue that Cucurella should be sent off, citing the Prestianni Law, which can result in a direct red card if a player acts in a confrontational manner while covering their mouth. Fortunately for La Roja, this was quickly shut down by match referee Slavko Vincic.
The reaction from fans was swift and critical. One user, RafskyManie (@00_olatunbosun), labeled the Argentine captain a "fraud" for his behavior, while Frank 🇵🇪 (@Frank7051964332) remarked that they were glad to see his image being "exposed." Other supporters like Scope (@scopelfc99) noted, "Messi have no shame complaining for that," while SAGE💚 (@THISSAGE1) added, "Messi said, 'If we're going down, you're coming with us.'"
Former Premier League stars Lee Dixon and Joe Hart also weighed in on the incident during their commentary. Dixon criticized the move, stating, "You shouldn’t be such a baby to try and get someone sent off for that, it’s ridiculous." Hart added that he did not enjoy the behavior, noting that it showed how much pressure Spain had applied to Argentina throughout the match.
Despite the controversy, Messi has had a notable 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign, tallying eight goals and four assists over eight appearances. However, the 39-year-old has largely struggled to make an impact against Spain, who were leading the final thanks to a 106th-minute goal from Ferran Torres.
unbelievable, cucu had not fully covered the mouth.Sashank Ⓜ️¹⁷ 🇮🇳¹¹ @Sashank__LINK@TouchlineX What a sore loser.
Couldn't get the ball off of him all game and now wants a red for nothing.
