After Argentina’s chaotic defeat to Morocco at the Olympic Games, Lionel Messi expressed his shock and frustration at the outcome of the match. The FIFA authorities and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) were quick to respond to the Argentine star’s criticism.
The match, played in Saint-Etienne, ended in a monumental controversy when Argentina believed they had tied the score at 2-2 in the 106th minute thanks to a header from Cristian Medina. However, the joy was short-lived when the VAR disallowed the goal for offside, a decision that was not clearly communicated to the teams and spectators at the time. The situation became even more complicated when the match resumed more than an hour later in an empty stadium, and Morocco managed to maintain its lead and seal the victory.
Lionel Messi, who is not participating in the Olympics but recently led Argentina in the Copa América, appeared bewildered by the events. In an Instagram post, Messi wrote: “Incredible what happened today. “We cannot allow these types of decisions to ruin football.”
In response, a FIFA spokesperson commented: “We understand the frustration of players and fans. The VAR decision was made in accordance with established rules, but we recognize that communication was poor. We will work to improve these aspects in future tournaments.”
For its part, the IOC also commented on the incident. “The goal is always to ensure fairness and transparency in all matches,” said Thomas Bach, president of the IOC. “We regret the confusion generated during the match between Argentina and Morocco and we are committed to reviewing the procedures to prevent something similar from happening again.”
Javier Mascherano, coach of the Argentine Olympic team, also expressed his outrage after the match, calling it “the biggest circus I have ever seen in my life.” Despite the general discontent, the Argentine team is preparing to face Iraq in its next match, hoping to regain ground in the tournament.
The controversy has ignited a debate over the use of VAR and the need for better communication at critical moments. Meanwhile, fans are waiting to see how Argentina recovers from this controversial setback in its quest for Olympic glory.
