Lionel Messi once hinted that Copa America is a rigged and corrupt tournament before winning it in 2021
Throwback to Messi's bold claims against the COMNEBOL authorities.
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Messi blames officials and organisers (credits-GettyImages)
Back in 2019, before winning it all with Argentina, Messi had claimed that the Copa America tournament was biased against Argentina because of some questionable officiating in the semi-final tie against Brazil which his team lost. Since then, Messi has gone on to win the Copa America 2021 and the World Cup 2022, thus, completing football.
Argentina crashed out in the semifinals against Brazil losing the game 2-0. Messi, definitely bitter after losing slammed the organisers and the officials- including the referees and the VAR. Messi claimed that the tie was fixed in Brazil’s favor and Copa America was rigged for Brazil to win.
“They [the officials] had booked a lot of bullsh*t, but they didn’t even check the VAR, that’s incredible. That happened all over the game. At the first glance of contact, they ruled in their [Brazil’s] favour and this kind of bullsh*t distracted us from the game. There are no excuses for us, but we need to review this, analyse it and let’s hope CONMEBOL does something about it. I think we played a great game. We made a great effort and they were not superior to us,” said Messi after the loss. He later added that Brazil was going to win the final, “I think it is prepared for Brazil [to win it].” Messi even boycotted the Bronze medal ceremony that year.
However, Messi had his redemption at the trophy in the very next edition of the trophy in 2021. Messi and Argentine had their sweet revenge against Brazil itself in the final. The Albiceleste won the trophy after defeating Brazil 1-0 in the final.
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World Cup hero- Emiliano Martinez arrives in India
Emiliano Martinez, the winning goalie for Argentina in the 2022 FIFA World Cup, arrived in Kolkata to begin a two-day visit to India. At the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport, the Aston Villa player arrived. Martinez, the FIFA World Cup 2022 Golden Glove winner, is slated to inaugurate Mohun Bagan’s “Pele-Maradona-Sobers Gate” at the Salt Lake Stadium.
Martinez will get the “Mohun Bagan Ratna” keepsake and be recognized as the World Cup’s best goalie by the Kolkata-based club before he departs on Wednesday. The appearance of a world legend energizes Kolkata’s football fans. The Aston Villa goalkeeper will also see the Friendship Cup match between the Kolkata Police Commissioner All-Stars and the Mohun Bagan All-Stars.
Martinez told the press as he arrived at the airport, “I am really excited, feeling great. It was a dream (coming to India). I had promised to come to India, I am happy to be here”.
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