Conspiracy Theories About Messi and Argentina: What's Behind the Allegations?

The Foul in the Opening Match

The scenes in the round of 16 against Egypt, which Argentina won 3:2, were discussed particularly intensely. In the heated closing phase, in which the South Americans had still been trailing 0:2 eleven minutes from the end, there were several controversial decisions that led to Argentine goals. Egypt's coach Hossam Hassan spoke afterward of a "clearly manipulated game."

The Outrage Against Egypt

"All the controversial decisions were made against Egypt. Maybe they wanted to keep the world champion in the competition. Maybe they wanted Messi to stay in the race," Hassan said. An Egyptian goal was disallowed by VAR for a foul in the build-up.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino also fueled the debate with public praise for Messi. After the 3:2 comeback in the round of 32 against the heavy underdog Cape Verde, Infantino, in an interview that had essentially already ended, sent "a warm hug" and "heartfelt congratulations" to all of Argentina. He had previously gushed: "Messi is playing exceptionally. But we know him: He is a star and it always gives us pleasure to watch him."

Infantino's Public Praise

Public praise of the now 39-year-old Messi, as can be seen, for example, on the Latin American broadcaster DSports, serves some as supposed evidence of favoritism. Infantino makes no secret of his enthusiasm for the Argentine superstar.

Refereeing experts see the matter more nuanced. German referee Patrick Ittrich, who appears as an expert on MagentaTV, explained regarding Messi's foul against Algeria: "There are three criteria for excessive force: chance to play the ball, impact image, and dynamics. Only the dynamics were missing." Ittrich's verdict was nevertheless clear: "For me, that's a red card." Had he been sent off, Messi would have missed at least the match against Austria – and scored four goals instead of eight at this World Cup.

Experts Disagree

Ittrich also showed understanding for the heated reactions: "The negative emotions that come out are understandable," the refereeing expert said. A similar scene, in which Xaver Schlager was fouled by an Argentine before the 1:0 against Austria, was not, however, ruled a foul.

ORF rules expert Thomas Steiner also disagreed when asked whether there is an Argentina bonus: "Definitely not consciously. Referees from the Champions League, who whistle the stars every week, that certainly doesn't happen to them."

The Statistics

Statistically speaking, Argentina does stand out at this World Cup in terms of penalties: on average, a yellow card is shown to Argentina only every 19.7 fouls. Among all 48 World Cup teams, only the Czech Republic (37.0), Tunisia (27.0), and Norway (24.0) have a better rate. For comparison: the English receive a yellow every 7.7 fouls.

At the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, no other team was awarded as many penalties as the world champion (five), though of course they also played the most matches alongside fellow finalist France. This statistic is also cited on social media as an indication of favoritism.

Kempes Speaks Out

Mario Kempes, 1978 world champion, took up the discussion with a mixture of composure and mockery. "Die Verlierer werden immer jammern," said the now 71-year-old to broadcaster TyC Sports. Kempes had previously been asked by a Colombian radio station whether it was true that Argentina had been handed the World Cup in Qatar and that the matches were being fixed again now.

Kempes, who ended his career in Austria in the late 1980s (Vienna, St. Pölten, and Krems), added: "Und um zu glauben, dass man dir eine Weltmeisterschaft schenkt, muss man schon sehr, sehr ... sein." To the accusation that the matches were being fixed, he reacted calmly: "Was soll man dazu sagen? Sollen sie doch weiterreden, kein Problem. Wenn man jedes Mal antwortet, wenn man gefragt wird, wird man noch verrückt."

Speculation about Argentina receiving preferential treatment is circulating mainly on the internet. There is no factual basis for the claim that the title has already been decided. On Sunday (3:00 a.m./CEST), Argentina faces Switzerland in the quarterfinals.

Fact Check and Outlook

The debate illustrates how quickly major sporting events can become fertile ground for conspiracy theories – especially when media attention, controversial refereeing decisions, and prominent personalities come together. The responsible bodies, above all FIFA, are facing a growing need to provide explanations.

The article was distributed by APA on July 10, 2026. It summarizes the key points of the debate and contextualizes them from different perspectives – from refereeing experts to the former world champion to statistical data.

The upcoming matches will show whether the allegations persist or whether sporting results will silence the discussion. One thing is certain: the 2026 World Cup is not only a sporting but also a media mega-event, in which every detail – from a yellow card to a like on social media – is noted with attention.