Referee Admits Favouring Argentina in Copa America to Secure Messi’s Shirt
- A former referee has openly admitted to requesting Lionel Messi's Argentina jersey during a Copa America match
- The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner led Argentina to another Copa America triumph, adding yet another laurel to his trophy cabinet
- Considered by many the greatest footballer of all time, Messi is now the most decorated player in history
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Argentina successfully defended their Copa America title, defeating Colombia in the final at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami last July.
Lionel Messi guided La Albiceleste to their second consecutive continental triumph, securing his fourth international trophy.
Source: Getty Images
The South American giants retained the trophy they had won in Brazil three years earlier, with Messi earning his 45th career title, further cementing his status as the most decorated footballer, according to Goal.
Referee confesses favouring Messi's Argentina
Meanwhile, former FIFA referee Carlos Chandia admitted to favoring eight-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi in the 2007 Copa America semifinals in exchange for his jersey.
During that tournament, Argentina showcased an impressive run, with Messi playing alongside stars like Carlos Tevez and Juan Román Riquelme as they pursued their first continental title in 14 years.
With 16 goals scored and only three conceded, Argentina faced Mexico in the semifinals, officiated by Chilean referee Chandia, who later confessed to giving them the benefit of the doubt in a controversial play involving the Barcelona icon.
"Out of nowhere, Messi handled the ball at midfield, but there was no scoring opportunity for the Mexican team or anything significant," Chandia recalled to ESPN FShow in Chile via Bolavip.
"I told him, 'This should be a yellow card, but it’ll cost you your jersey.' So, I didn’t book him. There were only two and a half minutes left, and the score was 3-0."
The Chilean referee later explained the reasoning behind his controversial choice:
"Giving Messi a yellow card would have cost him the chance to play in the Copa América final. Ironically, that decision ended up costing me the opportunity to officiate the 2007 Copa América final in Venezuela."
Messi honoured the referee's request
"After the game, Messi fulfilled his promise and left the jersey for me in the dressing room. He actually offered to take it off on the field, but I told him, 'No, no, no; take it to the dressing room.' And sure enough, he brought it there and left it for me."
Following this incident, Messi was cleared to play in the Copa América final against Brazil.
However, the match didn't go as Argentina had hoped, as La Albiceleste suffered a 3-0 defeat to the Seleção, leaving Messi without a trophy.
How much Shakira earned for singing in Copa America final
YEN.com.gh also reported how much Shakira received for her performance at the Copa America final.
The Colombian pop star thrilled fans in Miami during halftime of the clash between Argentina and her home country.
To accommodate her show, the halftime break was extended by 25 minutes.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
