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Messi could not help Argentina avoid a defeat against Paraguay on Thursday.
Lionel Messi’s frustrations hit boiling point during Argentina’s shocking 2-1 World Cup qualifier defeat to Paraguay on Thursday night.
The 37-year-old Argentine captain was seen unleashing his anger at referee Anderson Daronco, calling him a "coward" in a heated exchange at halftime.
Messi, showed a side we don’t usually see, after getting fed up with several contentious decisions.
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The Inter Miami star, visibly furious, confronted Daronco with an accusatory finger-wag.
According to a viral clip on the X platform, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner fumed, “You are a coward, I don’t like you!”
This fiery exchange followed what Messi and his teammates perceived as leniency towards Paraguayan defender Omar Alderete, whose aggressive tackling went unpunished.
Argentina, who had taken an early lead through Lautaro Martinez, struggled to regain control after Alderete’s second-half strike gave Paraguay the edge.
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Messi, often the talisman for his team, found himself stifled, managing only three touches inside the opposition box and failing to register a single shot on target.
Despite enjoying 77% possession, Lionel Scaloni’s side appeared blunt in attack — a rare slump for the reigning World Cup champions.
Scaloni defends Messi following frustrating result
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Messi’s outburst has split opinions online, with some defending his passion while others criticised the lack of discipline.
Scaloni, however, was quick to defend his team and star player.
"I'm not here to criticize my players, I'm here to support them. We knew it was going to be a tough game. We're here to keep going and give confidence to many of the new players," Scaloni said.
The defeat comes at a challenging time for Messi, who also suffered back-to-back losses with Inter Miami in the MLS playoffs.
As Argentina prepare to face Peru next, fans will hope Messi can channel his frustrations into a more commanding performance.
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