World Cup: Algeria files complaint with FIFA against Lionel Messi and Mac Allister

The 0-3 defeat against the Argentina national team in the opening match of the World Cup group stage has sparked a sharp protest from the Algerian Football Federation. The North Africans are dissatisfied with the decisions of Polish referee Szymon Marciniak and have sent an official complaint to FIFA. The main objections are directed at rough incidents involving Lionel Messi and Alexis Mac Allister. This was reported by Goal.com report states.

According to The Athletic, the Algerian side specifically highlights an incident in the 30th minute. In it, Argentina captain Lionel Messi made a dangerous move with the studs of his boot during a collision with defender Aissa Mandi. The Algerian federation believes Messi should have been sent off in this situation.

Additionally, the complaint includes an episode involving midfielder Alexis Mac Allister. It is reported that he struck Algerian player Ibrahim Maza with his elbow during a collision, but no disciplinary action was taken by the referee. The Algerian side claims that such incidents directly influenced the match result.

Coach and Federation reaction

Algeria's head coach Vladimir Petkovic did not hide his dissatisfaction with the officiating. "There is no point in commenting on hypothetical situations, but everyone saw everything, including me," the specialist noted. According to anonymous sources in the federation, the team is deeply offended that the safety of their players on the pitch was not ensured.

Amidst these disputes, the match held historical significance for Lionel Messi. He played his 200th match for Argentina and scored a hat-trick. With these goals, Messi broke Miroslav Klose's record of 16 goals in the history of the World Cup. However, the opposing team's protests cast a slight shadow over this celebratory evening.

So far, FIFA and other official football organizations have not issued a statement regarding Algeria's complaint. The reigning world champions continue their preparations for the next matches. Argentina will face the national teams of Austria and Jordan in the next stages of the group stage. Lionel Scaloni's pupils are required to maintain a balance between discipline and attacking play to secure playoff qualification early.