FIFA 2026 | ‘Messi’s Tackle Deserved a Red Card’: Algeria Lodge FIFA Complaint Over no-Card Challenge on Mandi

Algeria has filed an official complaint with FIFA, alleging refereeing errors during its FIFA World Cup 2026 Group J opener against Argentina, according to a report by AFP citing a source within the Algerian Football Federation.

The complaint centers on a challenge by Argentina captain Lionel Messi on Algerian defender Aissa Mandi in the 30th minute of the match. Messi’s studs caught Mandi’s calf in a tackle from behind, but the referee did not issue a card for the incident.

By that point, Messi had already put Argentina ahead with an early goal. He went on to complete a hat-trick before the final whistle, with Argentina securing the win.

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Many Algerian supporters felt the tackle on Mandi warranted a red card, and the federation echoed that view in its complaint to FIFA. “The complaint primarily concerns Messi’s challenge, which deserved a red card,” the federation source told AFP.

The source also flagged two separate incidents involving elbows during the match, arguing that both should have led to a player being sent off, though neither resulted in a card.

According to the source, the federation does not dispute Argentina’s quality as a team but felt it could not let what it viewed as officiating lapses go unaddressed. The source said three incidents in total were clear-cut fouls deserving of cards, and that the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system did not step in on any of them. FIFA has not yet issued a public response to Algeria’s complaint.