Lionel Messi showed his desperation by trying to get Marc Cucurella sent off for covering his mouth during the World Cup final.
The Argentina captain hoped to even the scores against Spain seconds after Enzo Fernandez had rightfully been shown a red card.
Chelsea star Fernandez was sent off in stoppage time of normal time against Spain after receiving two yellow cards.
Having already been booked for dissent, the 25-year-old was given his marching orders for lunging into a late challenge on Pau Cubarsi.
But in the immediate aftermath of Fernandez’s red card, Argentinian players swarmed around the Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic.
Cucurella was caught on camera speaking with Messi – only for the 39-year-old to report the new Real Madrid star for covering his mouth.
Commentator Jim Proudfoot said on talkSPORT: “Lionel Messi, when he was speaking to the referee, was not happy Marc Cucurella had gone over to one of the Argentinian players with his mouth covered.
“Messi was saying, by the letter of the law now, that should be deemed to be in a confrontational manner, and that should be a red card offence as well. But nothing happened in the aftermath of that.”
England legend Wayne Rooney was among the pundits unhappy with Messi’s show of bad sportsmanship.
The Manchester United icon said it was ‘sad to see’ on television coverage and agreed it was a sign of desperation.
“It is (desperation). But Argentina play like that, we know that’s what they do, and the one thing you want is good sportsmanship.
“That was sad to see Lionel Messi doing that.”
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Messi slammed for trying to get Cucurella sent off
Joe Hart added: “I didn’t enjoy that at all from Lionel Messi.
“Seeing that, you realise how on top Spain are with even Lionel Messi reverting to that.”
Lee Dixon, meanwhile, even labelled Messi a ‘baby’ for his actions during his own tirade on ITV.
“The game has gone if you’re getting bookings and red cards for that, to get somebody sent off,” He said live on air.
“You shouldn’t be such a baby to try and get someone sent off for that; it’s ridiculous.”
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Earlier in the tournament, Miguel Almiron became the first player to be sent off for covering his mouth after a dispute with a rival player.
Ecuador defender Piero Hincapie was then given a red card in his nation’s 2-0 defeat to Mexico in the Round of 32 for the same action.
However, England superstar Jude Bellingham avoided a similar fate when he covered his mouth to speak to Ghana’s Jordan Ayew in June.
The rule was introduced by FIFA ahead of the 2026 World Cup as a result of Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni, who was handed a six-game ban by UEFA for homophobic conduct during a Champions League knockout match with Real Madrid in February.
