Lionel Messi was labelled “a baby” after his apparent attempt to get Marc Cucurella sent off in the World Cup final.
The Argentina captain was reacting to an interaction with the Spain defender during a tense final in New York.
In the immediate aftermath of Enzo Fernandez’s red card for a second yellow card for his foul on Pau Cubarsi, players surrounded the Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic
Cucurella could be seen attempting to speak with Messi, but the Argentine forward desperately approach Vincic in a bid to report the Real Madrid star for interacting with him while his mouth was covered.
Under rules at the Fifa World Cup, players can be sent off for communicating with opposition while hiding their mouth, as was the case for Paraguay’s Miguel Almiron.
And ITV commentator Lee Dixon reacted in disgust at Messi’s attempt to try even up the teams at 10 players apiece.
“The game has gone if you’re getting bookings and red cards for that, to get somebody sent off,” the former England defender said during the broadcast. “‘You shouldn’t be such a baby to try and get someone sent off for that, it’s ridiculous.”
In the end, super sub Ferran Torres fired Spain to their second men’s World Cup triumph as what looks to be Messi’s last dance ended in 10-man Argentina falling to a meek 1-0 extra-time defeat.
Billed as a box-office final between the South American and European champions, what transpired was a defence versus attack exercise as the holders showed spirit but precious little else.
Faltering Argentina failed to muster a shot across 90 minutes and only Emiliano Martinez’s heroics kept Spain at bay, with the goalkeeper preventing teenager Lamine Yamal from scoring a match-winning free-kick.
The reigning champions lost Enzo Fernandez to a brainless second yellow card just before extra time, with Lionel Scaloni’s lacklustre side continuing to stumble against Luis de la Fuente’s classy, ball-playing outfit.
Spain kept knocking at the door and substitute Torres eventually slammed home at the start of the second period of extra time. Argentina were unable to eke out an equaliser having been a pale imitation of the team that broke England’s hearts in Wednesday’s semi-final.
Tempers frayed as the final whistle sparked Spanish celebrations and surely called time on 39-year-old star Messi’s last World Cup match.
