“Imagine if Cristiano Ronaldo did this”, “Most protected player” - Fans react to alleged Lionel Messi message to referee after Paraguay loss
Fans have taken a dig at Lionel Messi on social media after he allegedly insulted the referee in Argentina’s 2-1 loss to Paraguay. The two sides faced off in the CONMEBOL World Cup qualifiers on Thursday, November 14.
La Albiceleste kicked off the game on a good note, scoring in the 11th minute through Lautaro Martinez. However, The home team drew level eight minutes later through an overhead kick from Antonio Sanabria.
Omar Alderete scored again for Paraguay just two minutes after the break, which turned out to be the winner for his side. Messi played the entire duration of the match but failed to make a significant impact in the final third.
However, a moment during the game caught fans' attention. In a clip posted by The CR7 Timeline on X, Messi can be seen pointing a finger and uttering some angry words at the referee. He is alleged to have told the referee:
"You're a coward, and I don't like you!"
Several fans took to X to slam the Argentina captain for allegedly disrespecting the referee. Some fans argued that his rival, Cristiano Ronaldo, would have faced severe criticism if he had done something similar.
One fan posted:
“The 'humble' Lionel Messi disrespecting yet another referee. Messi told the referee: "You're a coward, and I don't like you!" Imagine if Cristiano Ronaldo did something like this.”
A second fan added:
“Most protected player of all time.”
“Crazy how he didn't even get a yellow card for this. Premier league refs give yellow for less,” a third fan commented.
“Referee must’ve boot licked him,” another fan chimed in.
“The internet would hate if CR7 did that,” one fan said.
“0 shame, he's mad because he hasn't got a penalty,” another fan added.
“Messi and Referees are made for each other,” one fan remarked.
“Give me penalties or i retire,” a user tweeted.
How did Lionel Messi fare against Paraguay?
Lionel Messi had a quiet game against Paraguay by his standards. The 37-year-old had three shots but none on target and lost possession 14 times. He recorded 67 touches, completed only two key passes, and attempted no dribbles.
Argentina, meanwhile, have now claimed just one win in their last four 2026 World Cup qualifying matches. Nevertheless, they still top the group standings with 22 points after 11 matches, three points above second-place Paraguay who have played a game less. La Albiceleste will next play Peru on Tuesday, November 19.