Lionel Messi’s red card against Chile in the Copa America third place play off has sent shock waves in the soccer world. Many took on social media to express their shock and anger on the embarrassing decision by referee Mauro Diaz de Vivar.
The Barcelona super star got the first red card in a competitive match and the only second of his 14 years career after an altercation with Chile defender Gary Medel.
Here is how Twitter reacted about the contreversial dismissal of the five times Ballon d’Ore winner.
Well money, sponsorships & power can buy you a judge & referee & justice. Messi got a red card for his innocence.
pic.twitter.com/e9jX1uVNdv— Khawar Akram (@KiloAlphaEcho) July 7, 2019
I am a Ronaldo fan. But as a true football fanatic, I have to stand with the truth and put personal differences aside to state that the red card awarded to Messi was unfair pic.twitter.com/7zPPOocSmK
— Gifted Baby (@Denogrant_) July 7, 2019
After Messi's red card expulsion,Chilean player Pulgar already on yellow card did this with intention to hurt Aguero but this freaking referee gave no card. Conmebol corrupted pic.twitter.com/WMoN4wf3tP
— Fg Football (@Fgfootbal) July 7, 2019
So this refree want messi to run away while medel was trying to kick him. Lmao pic.twitter.com/98VbIlVnI2
— Distinguished servant of God. (@Nerjeb) July 7, 2019
There were also comparisons of Messi with Ronaldo.
One has 11 red cards in his career while the other recently got his second.
Cristiano should be more experienced on how to react on a red, but I guess Messi always handles the situation better ? pic.twitter.com/quxjd7dfjR
— ?????? (@Broiler_Choocha) July 7, 2019
So if you guys accept V. Persie red card against Barca then to be fair,i don't see why you're saying Messi doesn't deserve it, is it because he's Messi,Cr7 gets it on more occasions than him, and you troll him every bit of it, so don't start saying shit pic.twitter.com/mp4P5RwhAf
— Engr. ROY (@Yusuf__Olalekan) July 7, 2019
Conmebol VS Messi pic.twitter.com/LNRrTUNptt
— Anibal (@Chinobal3) July 7, 2019
This is disappointing…
Messi doesn't deserve the red card
Shitest referee, no proper VAR. The state of the referees in this tournament is totally horrible..#ARGpic.twitter.com/JG4jFxuG94— Kamran Khan (@KamranKhan__) July 7, 2019
Respect the LEGEND.
Heartbreaking to see Leo Messi being disrespected like that??
VAR and Referee both are disgrace in this competition! What a pathetic decision.
Disastrous referring?#CopaAmericaBrasil2019 pic.twitter.com/DvXURBR3t7
— Nazbir Alam Apu (@Nazbir_Alam) July 7, 2019
But then there was a bunch of twitterites who laughed as Messi is playing victim card.
Messi started off the scuffle with Gary Medel but fans only choose to see the part where he acts victim,fully deserved red card #CopaAmericapic.twitter.com/PgM1IXR0pX
— Pye Waw (@pyewaw) July 6, 2019
I must stand corrected.
Watching this reverse angle, it’s not a stamp, as @GaryLineker said.
A deliberate kick, but something for yellow.
But both later challenge red card: Messi try going with shoulder on face, and Medel tries headbutt pic.twitter.com/MehQRWr2H9— Tancredi Palmeri (@tancredipalmeri) July 6, 2019