On July 2, 2019,
Lionel Messi
saw a new chance of being champion for the first time with the senior
Argentine National Team
slip away after losing the classic 2-1 against
Brazil
in the semifinals of the
Copa América,
but on that occasion he did not seem sad but
very angry
.
Lionel Scaloni
's team
finished in third place, with Messi sent off in the third-place match against Chile, and Leo did not want to get on the podium.
"Why didn't I go? For a little bit of everything. I'm very angry. I didn't deserve that red card.
We don't have to be part of this corruption. They disrespected us throughout the Cup. Corruption and the referees don't allow people to "Enjoy the football and the show,"
he said, furious as he had never been heard before.
At that time, it was even said that Messi had
"gone Maradona"
.
The two penalties that Argentina was not charged against Brazil, a blow by Dani Alves on Sergio Agüero and a
rude elbow from Arthur to the neck of Nicolás Otamendi,
had a deep impact on the best footballer in the world.
"We leave with the feeling that they did not allow us to be in the final. We were ready for more. Our two best games were against Brazil and Chile. You are sincere, you say things and then this happens...", he said
before
Clarín
in his pass through the mixed zone before saying goodbye to his teammates.
Time passed and Leo was able to heal his wounds with titles.
He became champion three times in the following three years, removing his thorn with the historic triumph at the Maracaná in the Copa América and with the finishing touch of being world champion in Qatar, as a scorer and figure of the Scaloneta.
However, almost five years after those days of fury in Brazil, the words of
Roddy Zambrano,
the semifinal referee, bring them back to memory and fuel the controversy.
Copa América Brazil 2019
Semifinal
Brazil 2-0 Argentina
Roddy Zambrano “He lost 🇦🇷 and obviously they ended up blaming me.
There was a penalty play that everyone knows was a penalty.
I didn't see him on the field and the VAR didn't call me.
If I saw that play, I called a shot… pic.twitter.com/4B21UECQEI
— Joaquín Saavedra (@joacosaavedraq) March 12, 2024
"There was a lot of commotion because Argentina lost and they ended up blaming me. There was a penalty play (Arthur's against Otamendi), which everyone already knows was a penalty.
The VAR didn't call me and they told me: 'Roddy, you can continue.' "And we continued. If I saw that play, I sanctioned a penalty kick,"
declared the Ecuadorian judge, launching a shot by elevation for Leodán González, the Uruguayan who was in the VAR, and agreeing with the '10'.
From there Zambrano spent a long time without directing internationally and targeted the Argentine Football Association for it.
"We know what Messi is and with one word from him everyone goes after him.
They tried their best and with the pressure from AFA they took me out.
The beautiful thing about football is that there is revenge and now I return as FIFA VAR to Conmebol and FIFA," he shot.
Regarding Messi's protest, he added: "He told me that we charged the little ones against him because Brazil was local, but he never disrespected me or insulted me. These are things that are talked about on the field."
Arthur's elbow that the VAR did not see
Video
Brazil 2 - Argentina 0. Semifinal.
Copa América Brazil 2019. Video: Public TV.