Fans claim World Cup is ‘rigged’ after Lionel Messi escapes ‘obvious red card’ after nasty challenge on Algeria star

SOME World Cup viewers were left raging after Lionel Messi escaped seeing red after a dodgy-looking challenge against Algeria.

Messi, 38, took centre stage with an incredible hat-trick on his return to World Cup action three and a half years after lifting the trophy in Qatar, drawing him level with Miroslav Klose at the top of the tournament’s all-time scorers list.

Two soccer players, one in a white and blue striped jersey and the other in a green jersey, compete for the ball.

Lionel Messi’s studs scraped down the calf of Aissa Mandi

Lionel Messi standing over an Algerian player lying on the ground during a FIFA World Cup 2026 match.

Messi received no punishment for the painful-looking challenge

His early near-post finish at the Kansas City Stadium was ruled out for offside but by the 17th minute he had thumped Argentina into a 1-0 lead.

Later in the first half, however, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner would be caught up in controversy.

The clock had just ticked past half an hour when Messi’s studs scraped down the calf of Aissa Mandi.

It was a painful knock for the Algerian, who immediately went tumbling to the turf.

But neither referee Szymon Marciniak nor his VAR sidekicks decided that the challenge was worthy of any punishment.

That did not go down well with fans who felt that no player other than Messi would have been treated so leniently.

One X user wrote: “This doesn’t look good for football, Messi getting away with an obvious red card on the world stage is a disgrace.”

Another said: “That should have easily been a red card. Expect the same with [Cristiano] Ronaldo. It’s going to be rigged for them to play against each other.”

Lionel Messi in an Argentina jersey celebrating during a FIFA World Cup 2026 Group J match against Algeria.

Messi returned to the World Cup with a bang against Algeria

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A third added: “Can’t believe he got no card for this challenge.”

Another responded: “This was criminal, any other player is getting sent off.”

And a fifth put: “Messi didn’t get a red card because he is the son of Fifa.”

Messi went on to score twice more in the second half, tucking in a rebound and then arrowing in from the edge of the box to give Argentina a handsome 3-0 win.

How to watch the 2026 World Cup

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All 104 matches will be broadcast on Fox and FS1, and can be watched through a number of streaming services.

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