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A request from Holland’s Wout Weghorst for Messi’s jersey was reportedly the reason for the pair’s angry argument, in which they exchanged verbal abuse, in the 2022 World Cup quarter-final featuring Argentina and the Netherlands.
The fixture at the Lusail Stadium was a fiery one, with multiple flashpoints taking place between the players of both sides throughout the game. Argentina secured a 2-0 lead in the 73rd minute thanks to a Leo Messi penalty but Holland fought back to draw the game in injury time.
Substitute striker Wout Weghorst made all the difference, as he got both goals for the Dutch, including the side’s spectacular second in the last minute of the game. When Cody Gakpo hit a short free-kick to the on-loan Burnley striker in the Argentina area, Weghorst turned quickly and put it past ‘keeper Emiliano Martinez, to his team’s delight.
No goals were scored in extra-time and eventually the game went down to a penalty shootout between the sides. Unfortunately for Weghorst, his side did not fair well as Martinez saved Holland’s first two spot-kicks. Weghorst did put away his penalty but Argentina’a Lautaro Martinez made sure with his side’s final kick to send them through to the semi-final against Croatia.
High Tension Post-Match
By the end of the game, tempers had boiled over several times as referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz struggled to control the game despite handing out a massive 17 yellow cards in its duration. The Netherland’s Jurrien timber was sent off with a second booking after the game.
Messi hit out at Weghorst in a post-match interview following Argentina’s penalty shootout victory, calling the tall striker a “fool.” In reaction, Weghorst let it be known that he was “disappointed,” by these comments.
Messi’s Fury Explained by Reporter
Now, Messi’s post-match interviewer, Esteban Edul, has revealed what exactly happened between the pair.
“After the game, they were all bickering in the locker room, not just Messi,” the reporter explained, “Van Dijk was falling out with Otamendi.”
“It looked like a Lanus-Banfield or a Newell’s-Central, but it had more mouth because they were world stars,” he said, “Most of Messi’s anger was about the penalty shoot-out, when the Dutch bothered the Argentines.”
“The 19 (Weghorst) was waiting in the tunnel,” he said of Holland’s substitute striker.
“He approached Messi and asked him for his shirt,” Edul continued, “It was from there that Leo started to warm up.”
“The Dutch player didn’t understand, he stopped and Messi insulted him,” the Argentinean journalist added, “He insulted him much more before the start of the interview during which he was a little calmer.”
“He was so angry he didn’t look at me or listen to my questions. I asked him about his incredible pass for [Nahuel] Molina and he told me about Van Gaal, FIFA… I couldn’t ask him.”
“At one point, while we were on the air, I said to him: ‘quiet Leo’ because there were a lot of people from FIFA and you never know what can happen.”
“It’s a memory that will live on forever.”
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