Lionel Messi was reportedly involved in a heated exchange with Portuguese referee Joao Pinheiro during Argentina's 3-1 victory over Switzerland in the 2026 FIFA World Cup quarter-final on July 12.

In a video circulating on social media, the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner was seen confronting the match official during a tense moment in the game. The episode has since gone viral and is drawing lots of reactions from spectators.

ESPN Argentina have revealed the exact words Lionel Messi said to the referee. According to the outlet (via Fabrizio Romano on X), the 39-year-old told Joao Pinheiro:

It was a really tense game between Argentina and Switzerland at the Kansas City Stadium as both sides gave everything on the pitch. Lionel Messi set up Alexis Mac Allister for the opening goal in the 10th minute but a second half strike from Dan Ndoye ensured that the match dragged into extra time.

Goals from Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez in the second half of extra time eventually settled the tie to give the Albiceleste a vital 3-1 win, which booked their spot in the semifinals of the competition.

Up next, Lionel Scaloni's men will go head-to-head with England, for a chance to secure back-to-back FIFA World Cup final appearances, at the Atlanta Stadium on Wednesday July 15.

For the first time in this World Cup, Lionel Messi failed to find the back of the net as Argentina beat Switzerland. The 39-year-old bagged an assist but couldn't get his name on the scoresheet after scoring in all of his previous games. This is a worrying sign.

So far, it's been evident that Argentina's tactics simply rely on getting the ball to their talisman, with little to nothing else to their game. Opposition teams seem to have figured this out. By cutting off supply to Messi and trying to isolate him, they can limit his impact for a significant period.

We saw how the likes of Cape Verde, Egypt and now Switzerland implemented this and almost came out on top. Lionel Scaloni will need to up his game and create other solutions for the team if they really want to defend the FIFA World Cup this year.

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