Messi Dismisses Favoritism Claims After Argentina Farewell

Lionel Messi ended his international career at a ceremony at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires, in front of more than 85,000 spectators, with Argentina defeating Benin 3-0. The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner used the occasion to directly address accusations of favoritism leveled at FIFA and refereeing during the last World Cup.

Argentina’s tournament run had sparked fierce controversy. The team had benefited from a relatively favorable draw through the semi-finals, successively eliminating Cape Verde, Egypt and Switzerland, while several refereeing decisions in Argentina’s favor drew criticism. Egypt’s coach even accused FIFA of deliberately favoring the Albiceleste. Despite a hard-fought qualification against England (2-1) in the semi-final, Argentina ultimately lost the final to Spain (1-0 after extra time), missing a fourth star after 1978, 1986 and 2022.

Facing this climate of suspicion, Messi chose clarity. “During the last World Cup, I experienced intense moments. We dreamed of becoming world champions again, we came very close and, in reality, nothing strange happened, contrary to what is being said,” he declared. The Argentina captain preferred to point to the wear and tear on his squad: “The match against England was extremely demanding for us, both physically and emotionally. The truth is that we reached the limit of our strength.”

Messi also paid tribute to all the players who shared his adventure in the national shirt, emphasizing that “all the teammates who played alongside me always gave everything.” A way to close with dignity an international career marked notably by the 2022 World Cup title, leaving behind an unambiguous message about sporting ethics.