Algeria files complaint with FIFA about officiating, cites non-call on Messi in KC
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Algeria's federation said it filed a complaint about officiating.
- The Algerian Football Federation says Messi should have been shown a first-half red card.
- Messi scored a World Cup first-ever hat trick as Argentina beat Algeria 3-0.
Following his team’s 3-0 loss Tuesday to Argentina in a World Cup match at Kansas City Stadium (aka Arrowhead), Algeria’s Ibrahim Maza summed up the difference in the match.
“I don’t think I need to explain it to you, I think you just have to watch the game and then you know what I mean with (Lionel) Messi,” Maza said. “He can decide the game on his own as we saw today.”
Messi had his first-ever hat trick in a World Cup match, and this is the sixth time he’s played in the tournament. So, for it to happen in KC was a big deal.
But the Algerian Football Federation (FAF) believes Messi should have scored just one goal. That’s because the FAF thinks Messi should have been shown a red card in the first half. He scored twice in the final 45 minutes.
TSA Algérie reported the FAF filed a complaint with FIFA about Szymon Marciniak, who was the match referee.
The FAF said this play by Messi seems to show him step on the calf of Algeria’s Aissa Mandi and push him to the ground. A foul was called, but no card was issued to Messi.
The TSA story says Algeria’s federation believes the referee missed Argentinian midfielder Alexis Mac Allister elbowing Ibrahim Maza in the face in the 74th minute.
This story was originally published June 19, 2026 at 10:14 AM.
