Fans of Cape Verde have expressed outrage, claiming their national team was "robbed" during their narrow 3-2 World Cup defeat to Argentina. The island nation, ranked 67th in the world, pushed the champions to extra time before an own goal in the 111th minute sealed their exit.
Several calls made by referee Drew Fischer have been widely criticized. One incident involved Lionel Messi taking a free kick while the Cape Verdean defense was still setting up its wall. Goalkeeper Vozinha was seen scrambling to make the save.
Another controversial moment occurred in the first half of extra time when Argentinian defender Leandro Paredes appeared to foul winger Helio Varela on the edge of the box. Fans on social media questioned why no foul was given, with one user stating, "Argentina robbing as usual."
The handling of an injury to Argentinian player Nicolas Tagliafico also drew criticism. Unlike typical scenarios where a player requiring medical treatment must wait to re-enter play, the game was paused for Tagliafico to receive attention before a corner kick.
Adding to the controversy, FIFA President Gianni Infantino offered congratulations to Argentina, initially sending "a big hug to everyone from Argentina and congratulations." He quickly clarified that he was "neutral" but his initial remarks were interpreted by some as showing a preference for the champions.
Argentina is set to face Egypt in the next round, a match that will feature Lionel Messi and Mohamed Salah, both potentially in their final World Cup appearances.